Lovely Hummelberry
by BabraGleekPotter
Summary: Kurt was in a oddly good mood, for no reason.. actually, there was a reason.   The lovely mother of his not-so-lovely stepbrother agreed with him: Rachel Berry deserved a better boyfriend than Finn. And why couldn't it be lovely Kurt Hummel?
1. Untouchable

Kurt woke up late that morning.

He had gone to bed at 2 am because he was sewing a pair of black socks for his dad, since all he had were old and had holes on them.

So, he got up and ran to the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair. Then he went back to his room and got dressed.

He decided to skip breakfast, so he quickly said good morning to his dad and Carol, who told him Finn had already left, and then he took his car key and drove to school.

He parked his car and looked at the school entrance. From the parking lot he could see Mercedes, probably waiting for him, standing outside the doors.

He adjusted his hair and walked toward her.

"You're late" she said.

"Not much, since you're still waiting" he replied with a smile.

"I was about to leave" joked Mercedes. "What took you so long?"

"I overslept" yawned Kurt while they were walking through the hallways to their lockers. "But I skipped my breakfast, so I wouldn't be so late"

"That's not good, Kurt!" exclaimed a voice behind them. Kurt and Mercedes turned around and saw Rachel walking along them. "You're going to feel weak if you don't eat.."

"Don't worry, Rach" responded Kurt with disregard. "I'm sure I can wait until lunchtime."

"Whatever" said Rachel with disappointment. "Have you seen Finn?"

"Not yet" replied Mercedes. "But it's still 7:58. We'll catch up in Spanish class."

Rachel nodded, without saying anything. Then she looked at Kurt with an inquisitory face. He sighed and then he said: "No, Rach, I haven't seen him. I'm actually kind of pissed at him for not waking me up this morning. It's his fault if I'm late."

"You should have set up your alarm clock!" she squealed in indignation.

"He could have woken me up" Kurt repeated coldly.

Rachel looked shocked, but Mercedes broke the silence with a very noisy BANG on her locker.

"Dammit!" she yelled. "I can't remember my freaking combination!"

"Let me" sighed Kurt, opening her locker. "It's so easy, Mercedes, how on Earth can you forget the date of the discovery of America?"

"It's 1492" uttered Rachel with a proud smile. Kurt and Mercedes both looked at her like she had just said the silliest thing. Rachel's smile slowly faded.

"Thanks a lot, princess" Kurt's mouth widened in a smile, as his tone sweetened. "I'm sure Mercedes won't forget it now that you so gently reminded her"

"You bet I won't" laughed Mercedes grabbing a book and slamming her locker. "Well, I'd better go now. I have a test coming up this morning"

"Good luck then!" said Kurt, winking.

"Say good luck to Finn for me!" added Rachel, while Mercedes disappeared among the crowd. Kurt rolled his eyes. "What?" asked Rachel.

"What?" he repeated, raffishly.

"I saw you rolling your eyes" she said sharply. "Are you really mad at Finn for not waking you up?"

"Of course not.."

"Because I don't think he wanted to piss you off.."

"Rachel, I honestly don't.."

"Maybe he just thought you were too tired to go to school and.."

"Geez, Rachel, calm down, would you!" yelled Kurt. "I'm not angry, ok?"

"But you said.."

"I know what I said" said Kurt with a deep sigh. He really couldn't stand her obession with everything that concerned Finn. What was so special about him that no one could ever be mad at him? He was untouchable to Rachel, like if he was Mr Perfect, like he never did anything wrong.. but then Kurt saw a sort of sadness in Rachel's eyes, and he smiled a little.

"I just don't like being late" he whispered. She nodded and smiled back. Kurt rubbed her shoulder. "Come on, let's go" he added, leading her to their class, as the bell rang.


	2. French kiss

Later on that day, Rachel got so filled with homework that when then lunch-bell rang she didn't even take a tray, she just sat down and opened all of her books.

When Finn, Kurt, Mercedes and the other guys in Glee Club joined her at the table, she didn't even bother to look up.

"Well, aren't we busy!" exclaimed Finn, kissing her cheek and only getting a quick smile from Rachel. "What are you up to?"

"French homework" she replied writing something on her book. "I must do this for tomorrow, but we have Glee today, and I don't have enough time because I also need to study for my Math test!"

"Sounds like you're having a tough day, Berry" said Puck with a twisted smile on his face. Rachel didn't even bother to answer; she was reading the indications of an exercise. Kurt stared at her for a moment, then he stood up and got closer to her, unintentionally pushing Finn aside.

"Let me see that" said Kurt, moving her hair so he could read too. Rachel looked up and put on a curious expression.

"What?" he asked with an offended tone. "I'm great at French. I can speak it as well as I speak English. Now let me help you, princess."

He sat down next to her, and they did all the exercises, while everyone else talked and ate. Finn eventually tried to help, but Kurt liquidated him as he suggested that "tu es très jolie et bath" meant "to enter Julie's butt".

"What the hell, Finn!" Kurt was extremely irritated. On the other hand, Rachel was dying for laughs. "It's not funny!" yelled Kurt.

"I suppose.. it's not that funny" said Rachel, recomposing herself. She smiled at Finn, who was glad to finally see her happy, and squeezed her hand.

"If you two lovebirds are done with this indigestible.. sweetness" snorted Kurt, approaching to Rachel's book, "I'm finishing your homework, Rach. Wanna help me out?"

She kept smiling to Finn for a moment, then she looked at Kurt and said: "Of course."

"So" irrupted Finn, "what does 'tu es très jolie et bath" really mean?"

Rachel shrugged and looked at Kurt, who took a deep breath and then said: "It means 'you're.." he hesitated for awhile, since Rachel was staring at him with a curious look on her face, then he continued: "cute.' Yeah, it.. it means 'you're very cute and pretty'. That's what this means. In French"

Finn slowly nodded, and Rachel scrawled the translation on her exercise book. Kurt stared at her for awhile, contemplating her beautiful black hair falling over her eyes and her concentrated expression, as her quick hand wrote the last word. Then she looked up and thanked Kurt for his help.

"I really owe you one. All I can say in French is 'voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?', which I've learned from the song Lady Marmalade.. and it's not a very nice thing to say to my teacher, is it?". Kurt shook his head in agreement, blushing a bit for the French phrase she had just said. Finn, who hadn't understand, smiled weirdly and then kissed Rachel and said: "I can only French kiss you, if that's ok.."

She giggled and replied: "Works for me!".

Kurt looked away, more annoyed than ever. Then Finn stood up and left, because the bell was about to ring again, he didn't want to be late for his English class. When everyone from Glee was gone too, Kurt held up his tray and asked Rachel: "Are you sure you don't want to eat anything? There's some salad left, I guess.."

Rachel, who had opened her Math book on page 367 and was practically lost into it, answered: "No, thanks, I can't eat now.."

"You can't, uh?" repeated Kurt with a half-smile. "Because I think I've heard that you get really weak when you don't eat.."

Rachel looked up and smiled at him. Kurt handed her a carrot from his tray. She stared at it for a moment, then she grabbed it and bit it, stuttering: "Fine."


	3. A lovely brown eyed lady

When the last bell rang, Kurt sighed in relief.

He had been waiting a whole week to finally perform his number in Glee Club, and he couldn't take it anymore. He was the first to leave his class and the first to get into the glee-room. He also anticipated Mr Shuester. He walked towards the piano and pressed some random keys.

"Kurt" Mr Shuester and Rachel were at the door.

"Hi" replied Kurt. "I came early because I wanted to ask you something, Mr Shuester"

"Of course" said Will, turning on the lights and approaching Kurt. Rachel followed him to the piano.

"What do you need?"

"Well" Kurt hesitated, peeking Rachel, "I wanted to show you a number I've worked really hard on. It's Lovely ladies, from Les Miserables. I'd like to sing first today, if I may."

"Lovely ladies?" asked Rachel, dazed. "That's so not you.."

"Rachel" stopped her Mr Shuester. "That's a great song, Kurt. But Rachel was just telling me that she wanted to sing first today.. that's why she's already with me when we got here. In fact, I believe she didn't expect to find you here, and neither did I."

Kurt nodded, a dashed expression on his face. Rachel seemed sad as well, but then she shrugged and said: "Well, never mind, he'll sing right after me, and then we will start the lesson.."

"I'm afraid we'll have a lot to talk about today" broke in Mr Shuester with a desolate tone. "We have to get ready for Regionals.. you see Kurt, I wouldn't even let Rachel sing, but she insisted.."

Kurt looked down, while Finn, Mercedes, Artie and the others were entering the room.

"Maybe you could sing Lovely ladies next week" said Mr Shuester.

"I've been working so much.." repeated Kurt with a martyring voice.

"I'm really sorry, I can't keep you guys here any longer than 2 hours, it's the rule"

"But I won't be singing the entire song.."

"Coach Sylvester hates me enough without me breaking a rule, Kurt"

"It's only 3 minutes.."

"No, I'm sorry" decided Mr Shuester. "Rachel asked me first. The next time"

Kurt turned around and looked at Rachel, who was sitting on Finn's lap and caressing his hair.

He was angry and frustrated, but he took a deep breath and he sat down near them.

"Ok, guys, listen" Will was standing in front of the guys, trying to catch their attention. "Today we'll discuss about how we're going to organize for Regionals. The last time we agreed on doing auditions, so you had to prepare a song, a mash up or an original song for today. We don't have much time right now, so we'll only hear one, but the next week I promise each of you will have a shot. Rachel, show us what you've got."

Rachel stood up and approached the piano holding a sheet music in her hands.

"I actually wanted to sing Lovely ladies" she said, gazing at Kurt, whose mouth had opened in the shape of a 'o', then she continued: "But my throat is hurting a bit today, and I can't do this on my own. I was thinking that maybe Kurt would help me out."

He looked at her, then at Mr Shuester, then at Rachel again, who had put on the biggest smile on her face, and he jumped off his chair and walked toward her, nodding spasmodically.

"Fine" said Rachel, giggling. She hid her sheet music behind her back and gave instructions to Brian, who suddenly started playing the piano. Kurt recomposed himself from the shock and sang:

"Sailors, I smell women,

I smell 'em in the air.

I think I'll drop my anchor

in that harbor over there."

Rachel managed to low pitch her voice a bit to sing along with him.

"Lovely ladies, smell 'em through the smoke.

Seven days at sea can make you hungry for a poke."

Kurt panicked for awhile, since he had changed a bit the lyrics of his version, but he didn't know what Rachel's was like. Then he decided to take a risk and sang again:

"Lovely lady,

waiting for my kiss,

waiting for the lover

who only claims to this"

Rachel smiled to Kurt, so he figured she liked his version. Then she held his hands and intertwined her fingers with his. Then she sang with her normally pitched voice:

"My sweet young boy,

come here, my dear,

let's make love,

but make it quiet,

we don't want them to hear!"

Kurt was both amused and attracted by her version. She had made it even more romantic then he'd originally had.. he went on with his singing.

"Lovely lady,

what pretty hair,

what pretty eyes you got there.."

"My lovely boy,

waiting in the dark,

long time, short time,

anytime, my dear!"

Kurt felt Rachel's soft hands squeezing his, and he looked right inside her eyes, which were getting wet, even if she had a smile on her face. Like if there was a connection between their minds, they took one last look at each other, and then they turned around and faced their friends and they sang the last line together:

"Lovely ladies waiting all the year!"

As the song was over, everyone in the room clapped, and Mr Shuester approached to Kurt and Rachel with a happy look and said:

"You were amazing guys, well done! I hadn't understood you had worked on this together!"

Kurt was about to reply that his version was a lot better than this because he was wearing a costume and he sang solo, but Rachel was quicker, and she answered:

"We both love Les Mis, but Kurt's favorite song is Every day, and mine is On my own. We had to compromise, but the result is, as you all can see, as good as the original song. I dare say that our version was even better, since we involved some romance and cut out all the bad words.. and of course I get to sing in this. It's a win-win."

Mercedes huffed; Santana and Quinn wrinkled their noses at the same time; Brittany said:

"Wait, so I won too? 'Cause I wanted a pony, thank you, Rachel"

Everyone in the room laughed, and Kurt and Rachel sat back down, while Mr Shuester started talking about Regionals issues. Almost two hours later, the lesson was over, and Will had to send the guys back home. Kurt was walking with Mercedes to his car, and he noticed that Finn and Rachel were talking a little louder than the way you always do when you cuddle someone. In fact, they weren't cuddling at all. They fighting. Kurt waited for Mercedes's dad to pick her up, and then tried to listen to their conversation, pretending to be combing his hair in the rear-view mirror. Rachel's voice was extremely high pitched. She was saying:

"I'm not going to make a fool of my self, Finn! I want to be the lead singer at Regionals!"

"I do too, I just don't want to sing that mash up you came up with!"

"But that's perfect, it would make us win the audition!"

"No, I won't do it, I wouldn't fit the part you gave me"

"You just don't feel comfortable with it!" Rachel was screaming like crazy.

"You're right, I don't. You can't force me, so I'm leaving now"

"Fine! I'll do it on my own, I don't need you!" Rachel yelled at Finn's as he walked away from her. He passed Kurt's car, got into his and drove away. Rachel huffed, stamping her feet on the ground. Her eyes had followed him all along, and now that he was gone, Rachel found herself staring at Kurt. He kept fake-combing his hair, knowing she could see him and hating himself for eavesdropping. She didn't say a word; she walked towards him, and he could already see her yelling at him for not minding his own business..

"Hey, Kurt" said Rachel.

It took him awhile to realize she didn't seem mad at all. So he stopped combing and said:

"Hi, Rach. Everything ok?"

"Actually, no" she answered with a big sigh. "Finn won't understand how cool and original my ideas are, again" she pronounced the last word with a resentful tone.

"Yeah, that really must suck" said Kurt, trying to tune-in.

"I had this wonderful mash up already prepared and he just won't go for it!"

"I'm sorry Rach.. I bet it was a great idea. What did you have in mind?" he asked, curious.

"Well" Rachel smiled a little bit, since someone was actually interested in it, "I thought Finn and I should totally sing something new and by someone that the Glee Club members would actually like, since we're sick and tired of the Journey, though they are amazing.."

"So, you're going to sing something by the Maroon Five?" Kurt took a guess.

"Newer"

"Justin Bieber?"

"Gross!" exclaimed Rachel with a disgusted expression. "I said new, but it has to be good music."

"Ok, so.. Mika?"

"Obviously!" said Rachel, giggling. "Ok, so you got one, Blue eyes by Mika, but the other song is even better, you're totally going to love it.."

"Oh my gosh" Kurt was speechless. "You're not.."

"Yes!" Rachel was practically jumping of happiness. "Gaga!"

"Brown eyes, yes!" screamed Kurt, throwing a punch in the air. "That's a wonderful idea for a mash up, Rachel! I can't believe you're actually going to do it.."

"Well, you're right, don't believe it. 'Cause Finn won't do it" Her excitement had suddenly faded.

"That's crazy, why on Earth would he refuse to do that? I mean, he likes both Gaga and Mika.." Kurt couldn't give himself an explanation. Rachel hesitated, than she sighed and said:

"Because he's baritone and he can't sing like Mika."

"But he could use a different key arrangement, that's the point in making covers.."

"I know! I also suggested we could switch our parts, so I sing as Mika and he sings as Gaga.."

"That was a mistake" observed Kurt. "You know how oddly sensitive he is about this stuff.."

"Yes, I figured" said Rachel in a whisper. "He's so stuck with what the other people would say about him if he sang a song by a woman that he gave up on the one which could have been the most amazing mash up ever.. stupid prejudices"

"That's a shame" agreed Kurt. He rubbed her arm and they stayed in silence for awhile.

"I should probably go" said Rachel, peeking the bus stop. "I still have so much to study.."

"Yeah, your Math test" remembered Kurt. "Do you need a ride home?"

"That would be nice" answered Rachel with a smile. "Thanks"

They got into the car and he started driving. They hadn't left the school parking lot yet that Rachel had already turned on the radio. Kiss me, by Sixpence None the Riche was on.

"Aw, this is cute"

"Yes, it is" said Kurt, smiling as she began to hum. "Can I ask you something?"

"Bring your flowered hat.. of course you can"

"How did you know the arrangement of Lovely ladies I had planned on?"

"I didn't" responded Rachel with a shrug. "Kiss me.. beneath the milky twilight.."

"You didn't?" repeated Kurt. "You mean you improvised it all?"

"Yes"

Kurt didn't know why but he wasn't that surprised, after all. Rachel always had her ways.

"Impressive" he said. "Isn't this a coincidence we both wanted to sing Lovely ladies today?"

Rachel didn't answer. She kept humming Kiss me, while she was looking out of the car window.

He decided to join her, and they both sang until they arrived at Rachel's house. She thanked him again and then kissed his cheek. He blushed a little, but she didn't notice it because she was getting out of the car. Before she could walk away, he called her and said:

"I'd really like to hear how you arranged Lovely ladies though"

Rachel smiled and shook her head. Then she took her sheet music from her bag and handed it to Kurt. She kept smiling and said: "How clueless you are, Kurt."

She walked to the door and disappeared behind it.

Kurt couldn't quite get what she meant by that, so he grabbed the sheet music and looked at it. But it wasn't the sheet music of Rachel's arranged version of Lovely ladies. And it wasn't even the original song; it was the mash up that they had been talking about, of Brown eyes and Blue eyes. And Rachel had just given it to Kurt.


	4. Clueless

Rachel's Math test was a disaster. She had never done such a mess in a class test, but at least her French homework was so well done that she got an A+ and a smile from her terrible teacher, Madame Keller. After French class, she went to the canteen, where she saw Finn, Puck, Quinn, Sam and Santana sitting around a table, so she decided to join them. She sat next to Quinn, who couldn't help herself and pointed out how ugly Rachel's sweater was. As Santana's laughter was spread all over the table, Rachel gazed at Finn, who hadn't said a word, instead he was smiling. She took her tray, stood up and walked away, looking for another place to sit and eat. She spotted Brittany rolling Artie's wheelchair to a table where Kurt, Mercedes, Tina and Mike were already sitting. She followed them and sat down in front of Kurt. "Hi guys" she greeted.

"Hi, Rach" they greeted back.

Rachel rested her chin on her left hand, and with the other one she filled her mouth with bread sticks. She felt really gloomy that day. And Kurt seemed to notice.

"Hey, is something wrong?" he asked. "Are you and Finn still fighting?"

"Wouldn't know, he doesn't even talk to me now" she replied.

"How immature" Kurt slowly shook his head.

"What's wrong?" asked Tina.

"Finn is a moron" answered Mercedes, chewing a piece of bread.

Rachel suddenly lifted her head and stared at Mercedes with widened eyes.

"Wow, it took you all this time to realize that, Rach?" said Mike laughing.

"But what did he do?" insisted Tina.

"He refused to sing a mash up Rachel wrote with one song by Gaga and one by Mika" replied Mercedes shrugging. Rachel was speechless. Kurt was the only one who knew about the fight..

"You wrote a mash up of Gaga and Mika, Rach? Great pairing!" exclaimed Artie winking.

"Yeah, thanks.." she said in shock. "But how do you know that, Mercedes?"

"Kurt told me"

"Kurt told you?"

"I told her" Kurt was waving at Rachel with an innocent smile on his face.

She frowned, than she stood up and walked away, leaving everyone else at the table wondering why she was upset this time. Kurt hesitated for a moment and then he ran over her.

"Hey, princess, what's wrong?"

"Don't you dare talk about my personal problems with Finn ever again!" she growled. Her expression was purely angry. Kurt was glad that they were at the canteen in that moment, so if she had stabbed him with her beef knife he would have had witnesses.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't figured it was a secret since you told me.." he tried to apologize.

"You're right, I should have made it very clear that I wouldn't have liked you picking up your phone and calling your girlfriend to tell her what an awful boyfriend I have! My fault, Kurt!"

"Don't say that, princess.."

"Don't call me that. I'm furious and my royalty won't change that."

That made Kurt laugh a little bit, which didn't help much with Rachel's rage. Anyway, she didn't dramatically leave as she always did; it was a good sign.

"Come on, Rachel, I'm sorry" repeated Kurt, rubbing her shoulder. "I didn't call Mercedes so we could talk about how idiot Finn is.. but we both agreed on how good your idea was"

This worked like a charm. Any compliment was more than welcome to Rachel. She shrugged and asked: "She liked it?" Kurt nodded. "Good" she said, with a tiny smile. But then she frowned again. "Great! Now that Finn and I can't do this together, she'll steal my idea and sing it instead!"

"Stop it, Rachel" irrupted Kurt. "Mercedes already has a song for the audition, so don't even worry about that. And here's to you" he added, handing her the sheet music of the mash up. "Thank you for letting me sing Lovely ladies yesterday, but you could have told me you had wrote something else and wanted to sing that. Anyway, thanks for trusting me so much that you let me see the sheet music of your mash up" he said with a soft smile. She didn't take the papers back. She peeked Finn, sitting between Quinn and Santana and laughing like crazy, and then she asked Kurt:

"Do you have any plan for the audition yet?" Much to her surprise, he nodded. But then he said: "See, there's this amazing song by Mika called Blue eyes.. and you know how much I love Lady Gaga". Rachel stared at him astounded, and when she asked him: "What do you mean, exactly?" his reply was: "How clueless you are, princess."


	5. My beloved Alaska

Rachel was still in her bedroom, getting ready to leave. She had every thing: her bag, her mobile phone, her sheet music, and her magical vocal cords. She got into his dads' car and they hit the road. Meanwhile Kurt's voice was getting perfectly warmed up. He had put some music on and now he was dancing around his room and tidying it up at the same time. Beyoncé was rocking the house. "All the single ladies.. if you liked than you should have put.. oh." The doorbell rang. Kurt could hear Carol's voice downstairs greeting Rachel.

"Hello, sweetie! How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks, Carol" she replied, embarrassed.

"Are you here for Finn?" asked the woman. Before Rachel could say anything, Kurt appeared in the hall and said: "Yes, she is. Unluckily, Finn isn't here yet. How about you wait for him with me, Rach? We could practice for that Glee Club number.."

Rachel hid all her fuss behind a huge smile and she nodded. "Of course, Kurt. Thanks, Carol"

"You're welcome, sweetie. If you need anything, I'm here" added the kind woman.

As they entered Kurt's room, Rachel said: "What a lovely lady she is." She looked at Kurt smiling, sure he would get the joke, but instead he nodded and replied:

"True. Can you even believe that Finn is her son? It took me quite a long time to deal with that."

Rachel's smile faded, and she whispered in a very cold way: "Finn is ok."

Kurt rolled his eyes and sit down on his bed. Rachel took off her coat, threw it right next to him and said: "Stop rolling your eyes, please. I'm not dumb, I can see you. And Finn really is ok, Kurt. Just because we are fighting it doesn't mean I have to say nasty lies about him.."

"No one said it was a lie" uttered Kurt. Rachel frowned and insisted: "Isn't it true? Isn't he a nice person? I'm being mature and ignoring the fact that being in his house with his mother is killing me inside, but you.."

"Oh please" hissed Kurt. "It's 'killing you inside'.. really? Don't be so dramatic.."

"I'm being honest!" Rachel was indignant. "You just won't admit what a nice guy he is because you liked him and he didn't reciprocate your feelings!"

"Rubbish. That happened like 3 centuries ago"

"It was last year!"

"Well, he was a complete jerk to you only two days ago and you have completely forgotten!" yelled Kurt, red with anger. Rachel couldn't find any word to reply, so she sat down on a chair in front of the bed, and crossed her arms. Kurt huffed and then he whispered: "Shouldn't we practice?"

She nodded, her frown still very evident, and she took the sheet music out of her bag. Kurt walked to the stereo, put in the CD, and went back to his bed. But this time he didn't sit down; he stood in front of Rachel, grabbed her hands and raised her up. A tiny, timid smile appeared on his face as he began to sing:

"Your heart is broken to your surprise,

you're sick of crying for blue eyes.

So tired of living, misunderstood."

Then it was Rachel's turn:

"When my brown eyes walked away,

when my brown eyes couldn't stay,

with your blue eyes, just watch me go.

Then turn the record on and wonder what went wrong.."

"Think hard, girl.. I think you should."

Kurt was letting go of her hands, but she held onto them even tighter and they sang together:

"If everything was everything, but everything is over,

everything could be everything, if only we were older.

Guess it's just a silly song about you

and how I lost you and your.. beautiful eyes.

I'm talking about brown eyes, blue eyes.

What's the matter, matter?

Blue eyes, brown eyes,

so blind, so blind..

what's the matter with you?"

Rachel's rage was completely gone away. Now all she could do beside singing was smiling at Kurt. And Kurt smiled back. He liked this mash up, he thought she had done a good job, but he had to agree with Finn on something: his voice wouldn't have rocked this song as much as Kurt's.

"Your heart got broken on the underground,

go find your spirit in the lost and found" sang Rachel.

"I've been watching how you behave,

not much like a lover, more like a slave" sang Kurt.

And together again: "Everything was everything, but baby, it's the last show.

Everything could be everything, but it's time to say goodbye.

It's no surprise that I got lost.."

"In your blue eyes.." sang Rachel with wet eyes.

"In your brown eyes.." sang Kurt with the biggest smile.

"In your beautiful eyes" their voices stopped at exact same moment. Their hands were still joint.

After a moment extremely long, Rachel let go Kurt's to sit down on the bed, and he sat next to her.

"Wow" she whispered. "I am really good. This is the best mash up ever."

"It is" agreed Kurt, still keeping in hands in front of him, like if she was still holding them.

"But Finn's right.."

"He really was.." said Kurt, much to his dismay. "He would have been very inappropriate for this, and he wouldn't have fit neither the Mika part nor the Gaga's.."

"And he doesn't even have blue eyes" added Rachel, as if this settled the matter. Kurt found her tenderly funny. She could feel his stare upon her, so she turned around.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing" he replied. "You simply remind me of Barbra Streisand in Funny girl"

Rachel couldn't have been anymore pleased. "Do I?"

"Yes" Kurt nodded. "You're extremely talented but life isn't always easy for you.. and there's this jerk who won't let you shine and always tears you down.."

"Jerk being Finn?"

"Jerk being Mr. Keeny" answered Kurt with a twisted smile. "But don't you worry, Fanny. You'll become a star, and you'll also meet the guy of your dreams, your prince charming.."

"And that would be..?" asked Rachel, raising an eyebrow. Maybe she didn't care much because she had just finished singing and she was still moved, but she did feel her heart beat faster, in that very moment.

"That would be Nick Arnstein" answered Kurt with a shrug.

Rachel laughed and pushed him away. Kurt watched her while she recomposed herself, and then said: "Ok, Funny girl, you wrote a great song, I'll give you that. But I think there are some things we need to discuss if we're doing this audition together" his face was unreadable. He could have been joking or speaking in the most serious tone. Rachel looked at him with a curious expression.

"If I'm doing Mika" explained Kurt, "I'll simply have to wear colored tight pants, a v neck shirt and a hat. I have them already pictured in my mind. But you can't rock the Gaga look in those stockings.."

"I'm not wearing a beef dress, if that's what you have in mind" replied Rachel, crossing her arms.

"Of course not" said Kurt, flapping his hand. "But Lady Gaga is a fashion icon, she creates her own costumes, she manages to look both provocative and lofty, she's sexy, she.."

"Kurt, you're gay!" irrupted Rachel, shocked but also kind of amused.

"So what? I still reckon when a girl's worth a double-check" he said, definitely double-checking her.

Rachel huffed; she didn't know why suddenly Lady Gaga wasn't such a great idea now..

"Anyway" continued Kurt, "we need you to look sexy, but not too much, or Sue will freak out.."

"You do realize you just affirmed I'm not sexy, don't you?" asked Rachel with a frown.

Kurt blushed and then stuttered: "W-well, I didn't mean to.. I was just saying that you don't really care for your look.. I mean, you dress like you lived in North Pole. How are people supposed to see how stunning your body is, if it's always covered by, let me say this, 60-years-old-lady clothes?"

Now, knowing how Rachel loved compliments, how much could have meant to her all the things Kurt had said about her old-Alaskan-lady look, once he had said that her body was stunning?

"You think my body's stunning?" she asked in amazement.

Kurt hesitated, somehow managing not to blush, and then nodded. "Maybe I'm not the right person to judge your body.. but I think it's ok. I mean, you're not any fatter than Santana or Brittany, yes, you're nose isn't straight as Quinn's, but it's fine, and I think short girls are pretty, so that their boyfriend can hold them more easily, like this.." he added, putting his arm around her. Rachel smiled and Kurt wrinkled his nose, quickly pulling his arm down. "Well, Finn's so tall, I wouldn't worry if I were him.. he'll never find a girl taller than him" he added in a flat voice.

Rachel nodded, and then asked: "Why didn't you tell Carol I was here for you?"

Kurt sighed and answered: "He hasn't told her you two are fighting yet. I didn't want to mess it up"

"Why should he tell her?" said Rachel with a shrill laugh. "We're not breaking up, it's just a stupid fight! I wouldn't tell my parents about such a lame thing, so why would he?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know, Rach. Maybe he usually tells her everything.."

"So it's a good thing that he didn't tell her, right?" she insisted.

"I don't know" repeated Kurt, huffing. "But I think you should leave before Finn comes back home."

"You're right" agreed Rachel. "He usually gets home for dinner, right?"

Kurt nodded. She stood up and said: "Shall we sing again?"

"Absolutely" he agreed, jumping off his bed.

They practiced for over two hours, and every time their voices sounded better. When Rachel left, her brown eyes were joy-wet, and Kurt's blue eyes followed her dads' car leaving the service alley.

When Finn got home, Carol scolded him for being late and missing his girlfriend.

"Rachel was here?" Finn asked in surprise.

"Yes, and Kurt had to stay with her all day, so the poor girl wouldn't have to wait alone!"

"It's ok, Carol" said Kurt with a smile, "I didn't mind. And Finn will see Rachel tomorrow, at school"

"That's not the point" she replied impatiently. "Finn was totally rude inviting his girlfriend over and not even showing up! Rachel is such a lovely girl.. what a waste"

"Shut up, you don't know anything!" yelled Finn.

"I know that you should have been home for dinner, and you were late!" said Carol, angrily putting her hands on her hips. "We had to wait for you and now the chicken is cold!"

"Put it in the microwaves oven" replied Finn shrugging.

"It's not the point, again!" cried Carol. She took a deep breath, and then she added calmly:

"You are grounded. At least Rachel will have a good reason not to see her own boyfriend."

Kurt moved his head from Carol to Finn so quickly that his neck hurt. He massaged it with his hand, while he watched Finn frowning.

"Fine" he said, approaching to the staircase. "I'm going to my room"

"No, we're having dinner now" replied Carol. "Burt is hungry, we've all been waiting long enough."

"I'm not hungry" said Finn, going upstairs.

Carol huffed and then she walk towards Kurt, who was still roughly rubbing his neck, and said:

"Let me help you, honey" and she started massaging it with her soft hands.

"Thanks" whispered Kurt closing his eyes, relaxed. It felt good. For some reason, it reminded him of his mother, and how she would cuddle him every night, in bed. Kurt really missed his mom.

"He'll get down at some point" irrupted Carol, looking at the ceiling. "There's no way Finn skips a meal. I know him, if he doesn't eat with us, he'll get some remnant from the fridge during the night.

Finn was so upset that he actually skipped dinner.

On the other hand, Kurt was in a oddly good mood, for no reason.. actually, there was a reason. He had spent a lovely afternoon with a lovely lady with lovely brown eyes, singing a lovely mash up, and the lovely mother of his not-so-lovely stepbrother agreed with him on something: Rachel Berry deserved a much better boyfriend than Finn.

And why couldn't it be lovely Kurt Hummel?

Fantasizing about Rachel and their masterpiece-mash up, Kurt got ready for the night.

He wore his pajamas and spread cream on his face, humming the original version of Lady Gaga's Brown Eyes. About to get in bed, he heard a noise come from the room next to his, which belonged to Finn, and he silently approached the door. He looked out and saw Finn getting downstairs. Kurt idiotically smiled to himself, as less than five minutes later he saw Finn getting upstairs again, holding a plate of chicken. Once that Finn had closed the door of his bedroom, Kurt turned off the light and got in bed, imagining Rachel with a chicken wings-dress on and a raccoon fur hat on her head. He laughed a little bit.

Despite his peaceful happiness, it only took him a few minutes to fall asleep, since he was very tired after all the practice. His last thought before embracing the night was:

"Thanks mom, for giving me blue eyes."


	6. Hands off my pizza

"We're going to win" said Rachel, tying her hair in a pony tail. "I never lose."

"Not even your virginity, Berry!" added Santana. She and Quinn rolled with laughter.

Rachel proudly raised her head, and grabbed Kurt's hand. His body was shaking.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Rach" he whispered looking down at his green fluorescent pants. Why the hell did he put them on? He was never going to look like Mika!

"Kurt, relax!" said Rachel, surprised. "I've never seen you like this before.. you're always excited before a performance, but in a good way! What scares you so much?"

"I don't know.." he was sincere. He really had no idea why he was so upset. It couldn't just be because of the weird clothes.. he used to dress even queerer, when he wanted. And he didn't even give much thought to what Finn would have said if he had sung with his girlfriend, because he had already done this with Rachel.. yes, they had sung Happy days are here again, by Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. Kurt remembered that day; he was very sad because no one had teamed up with him for the duet competition, and he had lost, despite his amazing interpretation of Le jazz hot. And Rachel had told him that, even if he felt lonely, he wasn't alone, and she had offered to sing with him. Kurt hadn't liked her much until then, but since that day they had been good friends, and now that they had to sing together again he was acting like a shy little boy terribly stage frightened.

"Look at me" said Rachel, fierce and proud as a girl dressed in a fake-slices-of-pizza-dress could be, "I didn't write the most awesome mash up ever to let you throw this, ok? We've practiced a lot, we're ready, I also agreed on wearing this stupid dress you designed for me!"

"Nothing attracts people as much as pizza does" replied Kurt with a tiny smile. "And it's unisex."

"Right" said Rachel, nodding. "So, are you giving up now?"

Kurt took a deep breath and said: "No. Let's do this"

Rachel's mouth widened in a big smile. "Mr Sue, we're ready to start!"

The music began to play, and the two teens danced and sang perfectly. They caught the attention of everyone in the room, and also Sue was watching them from the door in the hallway (of course her intention was to spy on them, but Kurt had sewed Rachel's dress with plastic slices of pizza, so that Sue couldn't have objected accusing them of wasting food).

When the song was over, Kurt's fear was completely gone, and he found himself smiling at Rachel and holding her hands, just like the week before in his bedroom. She was peacefully beautiful, and her small hands were imprisoned in his, but she didn't seem to dislike it. A moment of silence before the claps started. It was hard for Kurt to stop looking into Rachel's eyes, after singing that song with her, but he took all his strength and turned around and looked at his friends. Rachel was instead facing the ground, like if she had just noticed her shoes.

"Amazing, guys, well done!" exclaimed Will, truly impressed. "I really liked the way you mashed these two songs up, and the costumes are great"

"Thank you" said Kurt with a huge smile, bowing a little.

"Yes, thank you" repeated Rachel, more in a whisper. She kept looking at the ground.

They sat down and waited for the next Glee Club member to audition. After them, Mercedes sang My heart will go on, by Celine Dion; she was amazing. Tina and Mike performed Make them laugh; she had rearranged the song in her key, and Mike danced around her all the time. Brittany and Artie sang My first kiss, by 3OH!3 and Ke§ha. Rachel was getting anxious, since there were only left Quinn, Sam (who would have probably sung together), Puck, Lauren (same thing), Santana and Finn. Since Rachel had sung with Kurt, Finn might have felt free to pick another partner, and Santana was the only girl available. She was known for being a slut, and Rachel wouldn't have liked her fooling around with her boyfriend. Anyway, Finn auditioned on his own, and Rachel's doubts got lost.

"I'm singing BB good, by the Jonas Brothers" he said with a shrug.

"Dude, how gay!" exclaimed Puck, while Lauren laughed out loud.

"Quiet, please!" Mr Shuester sat down with the kids and said: "Go on, Finn"

The music started, and Finn began to sing. He hadn't worked much on that: it wasn't neither original, nor a mash up, and he didn't even change the key because it was fine with him. You could tell that he had worked on his own; when he worked with Rachel, everything was perfect and sort of personalized. But sadly, thought Kurt, Finn had a remarkable voice. And it was so obvious that he was singing to Rachel that when the lyrics went "I don't wanna hurt you, I wanna kiss you!", she stood up, kissed his cheek and clapped her hands following the rhythm.

"Sweet" whispered Rachel to Finn's ear, once that the song was over.

"Fight over?" asked Finn with puppy eyes. Rachel hesitated for a moment; she looked at Kurt, who was faking indifference checking out his nails. Then she looked back at Finn, smiled and said:

"Sure. I'm very sorry for letting you do this awful performance on your own. Next time, we'll work together. I promise." And then she hugged him. Finn was obviously confused, but he hugged her back.

Kurt was burning up inside. How could she forget him, just like that? He wasn't the one who had sang with her that mash up which everyone in the room loved! He wasn't the one who had danced with her dressed up like a multicolored freak! He wasn't the one who spent over 6 hours sewing her fake-pizza-dress not to get her scolded by Coach Sylvester! He didn't even had blue eyes!

While Kurt's mind was going through this storm, Rachel and Finn sat back down, and Mr Shuester called Quinn and Sam, who had prepared a mash up of Don't touch, by Tata Young, and Only the good die young, by Billy Joel.

"Zoom zoom in under my skin,

gotta slow down now to begin,

baby, don't rush..

you can look but don't touch"

Quinn's voice really reminded Kurt of Tata Young's, and he would have made Rachel notice that, if she hadn't been busy making out with Finn. Dammit.

"Come out, Virginia,

don't let me wait,

you Catholic girls

start much too late.."

Sam was singing and dancing around Quinn, exactly like Finn's fingers were wandering through Rachel's hair.. Kurt didn't miss a single move.

"You wanna get somewhere,

then boy don't touch me there..

just get up close and personal.."

"But that never hurt no one..

So come on, Virginia!"

Kurt was in totally agreement with Quinn; that Billy Joel might have been a womanizer, but Finn needed to get his hands off Rachel right now. Meanwhile Sam was singing..:

"The stained glass curtain

you're hiding behind

never lets in the sun.."

"Zoom zoom in, to my head,

gotta want me and not my bed.."

"Darling, only the good die young!"

"Boy, prove your love.."

"Yes, Finn, prove your love!" thought Kurt, angry. "Where were you when Rachel needed you?"

"Your hands are all over the place,

I barely know your name..

you're trying to score but it's not a game!" Quinn was singing very well that day.

"I'd rather laugh with the sinners

than cry with the saints.." and so was Sam. They were both great. Too bad Kurt wasn't paying attention at all. Rachel was trying to listen, but Finn kept kissing her neck without any regard.

"The sinners are much more fun.."

"Boy, get a clue, spend the time,

pay your dues, following the rules,

if you want me to want to be with you.."

"Come out, come out, come out,

Virginia, don't let me wait!

You Catholic girls start much too late!"

Rachel was trying to push Finn away, amused but also kind of pissed because she wanted to hear the song.

"Set to know me, boy, don't rush,

if you want me, boy, don't touch"

"Sooner or later it comes down to fate,

and I might as well will be the one.."

"Stop it, Finn.." whispered Rachel. Kurt didn't miss that either. He widened his eyes.. Quinn kept singing:

"Don't you dare touch me there,

if you want to get somewhere!"

Sam was about to sing: "You know that only the good die young", but Kurt had stood up and jumped on Finn.

"What are you doing?" yelled Rachel, standing up as well.

Kurt, who was punching Finn's face, stopped and looked at her; he didn't know what to say.

"Geez, Kurt!" said Finn pressing his hand to his bleeding nose, "You could have told me that you couldn't see the performance, we would have moved somewhere else!"

Kurt's heart started beating faster, as he finally got an excuse. "Yes, sorry about that" he mumbled. He turned around and looked at Quinn and Sam. "It's just that.. I really liked your mash up" he added.

Quinn raised an eyebrow, but a smile appeared on Sam's face, as he said: "Thanks a lot, Kurt!"

Kurt weakly smiled back, while he raised from ground and flattened his hair. When Mr Shuester had called them to order and thanked Sam and Quinn, it was Santana's turn to sing. And then Puck and Lauren's.

Almost everyone had forgotten about Kurt's moment of madness, but not Rachel. She was sitting next to Finn, who was holding her hand but nothing less innocent than that, and she was staring at Kurt with a perplexed expression. She found it slightly credible that Kurt wanted to see Quinn and Sam's performance so bad that he had to jump on Finn, when he could have simply asked him to move aside.

"Not like it would have worked" she thought; "Finn was so busy at the time that even my complaints couldn't stop him.." Then she realized one thing she hadn't thought about before: she did want him to stop touching her. Why? She should have been in seventh heaven for making peace with her boyfriend. Yes, he hadn't sung the mash up she had written because he was afraid of what people would have said, but he had dedicated BB good to her. That was sweet. And if he hadn't refused to do the mash up, she wouldn't have worked with Kurt, and the song would have been a disaster.. and Rachel wanted to win. Then she thought that, besides how sweet BB good had been, Finn would have never won the audition, so, if Rachel had got the lead singer part, they wouldn't have sung together anyway. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that Kurt was staring at her with his arms crossed on his chest. He had a lot to think about too: what had just happened to him? Why did he jump on Finn like that? He obviously didn't care much about Quinn and Sam, since he was sure he and Rachel were going to win the audition. So what had really bothered him? Retracing the events, he remembered that he hadn't liked much when Rachel had kissed Finn's cheek, and even less when they had made out right under his eyes. He massaged his temple; maybe he was lying to himself and he still had feelings for Finn. He had liked him for over one year, after all, as Rachel had said. Kurt looked down at Finn, who was staring at Santana's butt, while she was shaking right it in front of him. He was almost drooling. Kurt shook his head. No way he had feelings for such a moron. Then his eyes followed Finn's arm, down, till his hand was intertwined with Rachel's. Kurt gazed at their hands for a few seconds, then he looked up at her arm, her shoulder, her face.. her face? Shouldn't he see her hair, since he was setting behind her? Instead, he found himself lost into her beautiful brown eyes, again. Rachel was looking at him too, and this made Kurt's heart race. She hesitated for a moment, and then smiled to him.

Kurt was gladder than ever to see her smile, because it meant that she wasn't angry for hitting her boyfriend. And it was a perfectly beautiful smile. He smiled back, cursing himself when he felt his cheek redding. Why did have to blush right now? Rachel didn't seem to notice anyway, because she smiled a little bit longer and then she turned her head and looked at Santana. As her hair fell back on her shoulders, Kurt loudly sighed.


	7. Progressing

Now that everything had gone back to normal between Finn and Rachel, she spent a lot of time with him, but it worked for Kurt, since she was often over at his place. One day he got home from the bookshop and found them making out on the couch. He cleared his throat to catch their attention. Finn waved at him and said: "Hey, bro", while Rachel stood up and smiled.

"Hi, Kurt" she added combing her hair. "What have you got there?"

Kurt looked down at the bags he was carrying and said: "A couple of books for me and one for Carol. She has asked Finn to buy it for over two weeks, but he wouldn't do it, so I figured I could help with that"

Rachel nodded with a smile and then gave Finn a sour look. Kurt smirked and added:

"I'm not even sure he knows the way to the bookshop.. do you, Finn?"

"No" replied Finn with a shrug. "Thanks anyway. Mom will be happy"

"I hope so" said Kurt. "So, I'm going upstairs and do my homework.. are you staying for dinner, Rach?"

"No, I'll call my dads when I need a ride home" she answered.

"Why don't you eat with us? I'm sure Carol won't mind now that I got the book for her" he pronounced the words "I" and "her" with a bit of presumption, and his smile was somehow similar to the Cheshire Cat's.

Rachel looked at Finn with an uncertain expression, and then she said: "I guess it's alright. Thanks"

Kurt exulted within himself, and smiled to Rachel. "I'm going to my room. See you guys later."

When he got downstairs, later, he found Carol and Rachel talking and cutting potatoes, while Burt was sitting on his armchair and reading the newspaper.

"Hi dad" greeted Kurt. "Hi Carol.. where's Finn?"

"He's having a shower.." answered Carol with sad eyes. "I told him to do it after dinner, so Rachel wouldn't get bored, but he just ignored me, and the poor girl offered to help me cook."

"It's ok, Carol" said Rachel with an affable smile, "my dads work late, I usually cook for them."

"You do?" asked Carol. "Oh, darling, I always tell Finn what a lovely girl you are, but he just won't understand. I mean, I'm his mother, I love him, but he always assumes things must be given to him and never makes an effort to earn them. I suppose that's what you call an immature boy."

"That's not true, Carol" said Rachel, embarrassed, "he's a very polite guy.. he's just distracted."

"Geez, is he distracted!" exclaimed Kurt. "I've showed him the way to the bookshop a thousand times, but he still won't remember! Oh.. speaking of which, Carol, I got you this" he added handing her the book.

Carol's face brightened. She let go the knife and cleaned her hands, then she took the book and contemplated it. "Thank you so much, Kurt!" she said hugging him. "I really wanted to read this"

"I know" whispered Kurt, looking at Rachel, who had stopped cutting potatoes and was smiling.

When Finn got downstairs, dinner was ready. All five of them sat around the table and started eating.

"So, how's it going in Glee Club?" Burt asked the teens.

"Fine" said Finn, chomping.

"Great" replied Kurt. "We'll now who won the audition tomorrow"

"And how is it great?" asked Burt with a raised eyebrow.

"Because Rachel and I are going to win" explained Kurt. "She wrote the most beautiful mash up, we performed it, and we were amazing. Weren't we, Finn?"

Finn nodded, served himself some more beef and then passed Rachel the tray. Kurt looked at him with daze.

"I thought you were vegan" he said.

"I am, actually" she affirmed, gently rejecting the tray. "No, thanks, Finn."

Finn shrugged and took some more beef. "Alright. More meat or me. Mom, do we have barbecue sauce?"

"Yes, honey" huffed Carol, standing up and walking to the fridge.

"Fetch me some mayonnaise too!" added Finn, and then smiled at Rachel. "So you can put it on your fires."

"That's really thoughtful, honey" whispered Rachel, timidly, "but.."

"But she can't eat that either" irrupted Kurt. "You see, Finn, there's eggs in mayonnaise"

"So what?" asked Finn, shrugging again.

"I'm vegan" said Rachel again, with an encouraging smile.

"So.. what?" repeated Finn. He seemed confused. Kurt was both amused and annoyed.

"Do you even know what 'vegan' means?" he asked Finn, huffing.

"Yes, it means she can't eat animals" he answered.

"Actually" said Carol sitting back down and handing his son the sauces, "it means she can't eat any product that come from an animal. I bet that's how she keeps herself so fit" she added smiling at Rachel.

"Thank you" she replied, beaming. Kurt couldn't agree more with Carol.

After dinner, Finn took Rachel upstairs for awhile, but soon Kurt couldn't resist and he irrupted in his room.

Much to his surprise, he hadn't interrupted anything; Finn was laying on his bed, and Rachel was sitting on the floor, reading some papers. As Kurt opened the door, she looked up and said: "Hey you"

"Hi" stuttered Kurt. He hadn't thought of an excuse for being there. "Uhm.. what are you guys up to?"

"Nothing" answered Rachel with a shrug. "I believe Finn's asleep. I was just working on another mash up.."

"Really?" asked Kurt, curious. He closed the door behind his back and sat down next to her. "Let me see.."

He gently grabbed the sheet music. On the top of it, it was written 'Almost lover / Vesper's goodbye'.

"These are really sad songs" pointed out Kurt. "Beautiful, yeah.. but very sad"

"Yeah, I know.." whispered Rachel, taking the sheet music back. "I was just.. I was bored and I chose the first two songs that came to my mind. This mash up is probably going to suck"

"Nah, that's impossible" denied Kurt, flapping is hand. "Everything you do is perfect"

Rachel was positively astonished. "Wow.. thank you!" she said with a big smile. "So, wanna help me out?"

Kurt nodded. "I'd love to. But isn't Finn's voice more.. proper, for the Vesper's goodbye part?"

"I don't know, I tried to ask him but he snored" joked Rachel. "Anyway, you don't have to.."

"No, I want to!" said Kurt, determined. "So, let me see what you got here.."

He got closer to Rachel, so they could both read the sheet music. Kurt began to sing with a low voice:

"All of you shaped me into what I am,

and carried out the better man..

Do you have a master plan?"

Rachel was amazed: Kurt's voice had sounded so masculine! Despite her surprise, she sang her lines:

"You sang me Spanish lullabies,

the sweetest sadness in your eyes, clever trick.."

"Somewhere I let all my defenses down,

never thought to turn around..

and you did not make a sound" sang Kurt, instinctively moving closer to Rachel. She was immobile.

"I'd never want to see you unhappy.." she sang, hypnotized, "I thought you'd want the same for me..

Goodbye, my almost lover,

goodbye, my hopeless dream. I'm.."

"I'm seeing it turning red" irrupted Kurt, closing his eyes, "like a bullet through the chest.

Lay me down to rest.. it's a lover's final breath."

"So long, my luckless romance,

my back is turned on you..

I should've known you'd bring me heartache,

'cause almost lovers always do."

"I found out nothing comes without a cost,

and life was just a game we lost.." when Kurt opened his eyes, he was face-to-face with Rachel.

"I'm trying not to think about you!" she was singing with a desperate look on her face. She was really into it.

"Can't you just let me be?

So long, my luckless romance,

my back is turned on you.."

"Now you're gone" Kurt's voice trembled a little, but he kept singing, "and nothing's ever felt so wrong,

a moment seems to last so long.."

"I cannot wake up in the morning,

without you on my mind.."

"Now I die" Kurt was like paralyzed while he sang the next line..: "I kiss your tender lips, goodbye.."

Rachel blushed, then sang: "Oh, goodbye, my almost lover!"

"See it turning red.." repeated Kurt.

"Goodbye, my hopeless dream.."

"Like a bullet through the chest.."

"I'm trying not to think about you.." Rachel moved closer to Kurt.

"Lay me down to rest.." He was pushed down by her.

"Why can't you just let me be?" She was practically laying on Kurt.

"It's a lover's final breath.." He closed his eyes; he believed his heart had just exploded within his chest.

"So you're gone and I'm haunted.." Rachel leaned her head on Kurt's chest.

"Pray to God he hears my cry.." His real thought was more like: "Pray to God she won't hear my heartbeat.."

"..and I bet you are just fine." Rachel finished singing, but she didn't move. She wanted to stay like that forever. Although, it was a real odd situation. Picture, if you will, a gay guy laying on the floor of his stepbrother's bedroom. Now, imagine his stepbrother's girlfriend resting on his chest. And, if it isn't awkward enough, imagine a bed behind them, and her boyfriend sleeping in it. Odd, isn't it?

After what seemed like an eternity, Kurt found the words: "Wow, Rachel" Ops. Not the best words, I guess.

Rachel didn't say anything. She didn't move either. Kurt thought she had fallen asleep too, for a moment.

"Hey, Rach? Are you awake?" he stupidly asked.

"Yes" she answered, her face pressed to his chest. "I am."

"Good."

"Yeah.."

"Good"

"You've already said that" pointed out Rachel.

"Good" repeated Kurt. He was like in trace.. but then he woke up. "I mean, yeah, I know that."

Rachel smiled to herself. She found his naïve clumsiness very cute.

"I liked your mash up" said Kurt, trying to break the tension. "It was intense"

"Thanks" replied Rachel. "You sang very well. I didn't think you could rock that key.. I was wrong"

"Thanks.. thanks" repeated Kurt. "Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks"

"Four"

"Four?"

"Yes, four."

"Four what?" asked Kurt in a flat voice, like he wasn't even making a question.

"You thanked me four times" answered Rachel. She started making circles with her fingers on his chest.

"Did I?" Kurt was slowly focusing on the situation. " Well, that isn't enough. Thanks"

Rachel laughed. "How sweet you are, Kurt" she whispered in the tenderest voice.

"Good. The last time I was clueless. I'd call that progress" he joked.

"It's a proper name" she said, sighing. "You're progressing"

"Are you talking about my voice?"

"That too" answered Rachel. Kurt didn't dare ask what else he was getting better at. Finn's snoring reminded them they weren't alone. Rachel quickly raised up, and Kurt didn't know if he was more sad or relieved.

"I'd better go home now" she said, collecting her stuff and putting it into her purse.

"Yes, you, uhm.. Finn will give you a ride" Kurt stood up and scratched his chest, where Rachel had just rested her head: it was still warm. He tried to wake Finn up, but Rachel stopped him:

"No, don't bother, let him sleep.. I'll call my dads"

"Ok" replied Kurt. He hesitated. "Or.. I could drive you home"

"It's not a problem for my parents, really.."

"I know the way" insisted Kurt.

Rachel sighed. "Are you sure?" she asked. Kurt nodded. "Fine.. thanks" she added, smiling.

"No problem" he said. He didn't smile back this time; he felt extremely unhappy for no reason, now.

Once Rachel had said goodnight to Carol and Burt, she got into Kurt's car, and he began to drive.

They were silent all the way till they reached Rachel's place. "There you are" said Kurt,

She unlocked her seatbelt. "Thanks for the ride"

"Anytime. Goodnight, Rach" he added with a joyless smile.

"Goodnight, Kurt." Before he could move a muscle, she had kissed his cheek, got out his car and walked through her house door. He waited for her to disappear behind it, and then he drove away. Kurt's shirt wasn't warm anymore, but it still had Rachel's smell on it. He didn't sleep in his pajamas that night.


	8. Lost and won

"Ok, guys, listen to me, please" Mr Shuester was about to say who had won the audition. "You were all amazing, really. It's a shame that I can only pick two of you as lead singers.."

"We've heard that, Mr Shue" irrupted Puck.

"Yes, you say that every time" added Santana, checking our nails. "But you always chose Ugly Berry and her monstrously tall boyfriend. That's a real shame."

"Shut up, Satana" hissed Kurt. "Ooops. I meant Santana."

Everyone laughed, and Santana frowned, crossing her arms.

"Please, guys" said Mr Shuester. "Ok, so, I really liked Quinn and Sam's duet, and Mercedes's voice was amazing, just like always. Finn, you could have done better than that.."

"I did my best, Mr Shue" apologized Finn.

"I hope you didn't.." murmured Will. "So, I've decided that our winners are.."

Rachel grabbed Kurt's hand and squeezed very hard.

"..Kurt and Rachel"

"YES!" Rachel put her arms around Kurt's neck. "I knew that, I knew that!"

Mercedes huffed. Quinn shrugged, and Sam rubbed her shoulder. Finn clapped his hands.

"Very well done, guys" repeated Mr Shuester, while Rachel and Kurt stood up and walked towards him.

"Thanks, Mr Shue" said Kurt, beaming.

"Yes, thank you" repeated Rachel. "So, I think we should talk about what songs we're going to sing at Regionals, Mr Shue, 'cause time is money, and we don't have much of neither of them.."

"Fair enough, Rachel" agreed Will. "What did you guys have in mind?"

"Well" Rachel spoke proudly, "actually, Kurt and I wrote another mash up, last night.."

"Last night? Ooooh!" whistled Santana. "Finn just got cuckolded!"

"Shut up.." hissed Rachel, blushing.

"Don't worry, Berry, you didn't miss anything" replied Santana.

Rachel blanched. "What does it mean?" she asked fearfully.

"It means that your boyfriend is full of crap, hobbit."

"Come on Rachel, she's not worth it.." irrupted Finn.

"Oh, really?" This time Santana was talking to him. "That's not what you thought last year in that motel room"

Rachel's eyes widened.

"That's right Yentl" Santana was talking to her again."Your sweetheart's been lying to you. 'Cause he and I totally got it on last year."

"Enough!" yelled Mr Shuester. "This is not what.. Rachel, where are you going?"

But she didn't reply. She had left the room so quickly that Finn hadn't quite understood the problem yet.


	9. Love, love me

Rachel was in a very bad mood. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Finn kept telling her that Santana was lying and he had never cheated on her, but when Rachel asked him if it was true that they'd had sexy, he couldn't deny it. And this was too much for Rachel.

"But you and I.. we weren't even together!" explained Finn.

"So what? You lied to me!" cried Rachel. "You told me you hadn't done it with anyone before!"

"I didn't want you to feel bad.."

"I'm not feeling any good, now!" She was very close to tears. "You should have been honest with me"

"Come on, Rach, I'm sorry.." he tried to hug her, but she said "Don't touch me!" and walked away.

Much to his dismay, Kurt felt bad for Finn too. He loved Rachel, and he certainly didn't want to make her suffer. But he shouldn't have lied to her either. It was a trouble for Kurt; he couldn't side with Finn because it would have hurt Rachel even more, but he couldn't even side against him.. he was his brother, after all.

He somehow managed to talk to Rachel at school, accurately avoiding the subject 'Finn', and when he was at home he barely even spoke with him.

"Should we prepare another song?" asked Rachel one day at lunch.

"Not at all" answered Kurt with a shrug. "I mean, why should we? We've already won the audition."

"Yes, but Mr Shue said he had a lot to think about before takingbhis decision" pointed out Rachel. "It means we have to show him that we're the best performers he has ever seen, and that we're ready for everything.."

"He always says that, Rachel" replied Kurt, lowering his voice. "He didn't want the others to feel bad.."

"Anyway, I think we should write another song" said Rachel. "I want to."

"Why? Don't you like the Almost lover / Vesper's goodbye mash up?"

"Yes, but.. it's beyond depressing, isn't it?"

Kurt couldn't deny it. Both songs were sad on their own.. mashing them up together was suicide.

"So it's settled, we're writing another mash up!" exclaimed Rachel, before he could say anything.

"Works for me" agreed Kurt. "Your place or my place?" he asked without thinking. Then he realized..

"Definitely my place" said Rachel, looking down at her empty plate.

"Hey" whispered Kurt, caressing her hand, "don't be sad, princess. Mr Keeny isn't worth your tears"

Rachel smiled and nodded. He was right; she was too superior to cry over a stupid boy.

That afternoon Kurt drove to Rachel's house to write the song. He had already seen it from the inside, once, when he had tried to sabotage her relationship with Finn by making her dress up like a slut. Good memories, he sarcastically said to himself while he waited for her to open the door. Then she did.

"Hey there!" She let him in, took his coat and hanged it to the coat-hanger. "Fancy some orange juice?"

"Yes, please" said Kurt, following her through the kitchen. "Have you thought of some song yet?"

"Oh, I've been thinking a lot" answered Rachel, getting the orange juice bottle from the fridge. "But none of the songs I have selected would work for a mash up.." She was trying to grab two glasses from a shelf, but it was too tall for her, even though she was tiptoeing. Kurt smirked; she really was short.

"Let me help you, shorty" he joked, then took a couple of glasses. "Here's to you, your high.. well, lowness."

"Ha-ha" Rachel faked a laugh. "How nice of you. And I thought you were progressing.."

"Well, your height sure isn't.." replied Kurt with a sly smile.

"That's it!" joked Rachel, crossing her arms. "I'm officially offended. You will have to beg my forgiveness!"

Kurt knelt to the ground and said: "I'm very sorry, princess. From down here you don't even seem that short!"

Rachel laughed out loud and then poured some orange juice for both of them.

"So, what were you saying about the mash up?" asked Kurt, sitting down on the sofa.

"Only that I have no idea how to do it" answered Rachel with a shrug. "Do you?"

"You can bet on it" said Kurt grabbing his bag and handing her some sheet music. "Check them out"

Rachel read the paper..: Much better / You belong with me, Our song / Love today, Say ok / Misery..

"Wow, Kurt, I totally see them working out!"

"Your being so impressed kind of offends me" joked Kurt. "Do you think you are the only star around here?"

"I don't think so" replied Rachel, "I know so. Now, help me remember who are the singers. Much better?"

"The Jonas Brothers" answered Kurt.

"Ew" commented Rachel, grinning, "why would you put that crap with lovely Taylor Swift?"

"They're not that bad" replied Kurt. "Of course they're nothing compared to the Maroon 5.."

"Misery, aw, I love that song!"

"Me too, and it would be great with Vanessa Hudgens's Say ok, if we slowed it a bit.."

"How about we fasten Say ok?" suggested Rachel, "Because Misery has the greatest rhythm.."

"So true" agreed Kurt. "What do you think of Mika's Love today and Taylor's Our song?"

"I love it" said Rachel with a huge smile, "it's actually my favorite mash up"

"Really?" asked Kurt in amazement. "It's also mine"

"Yeah.. probably 'cause it's not sad at all" whispered Rachel. Then she shrugged and added: "Ok, let's do it!"

"Alright" said Kurt, "I was thinking that you could start with Our song.."

"Say no more" hissed Rachel, then started singing:

"I was riding shotgun with my hair undone

in the front seat of his car.

He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel

and the other on my heart.

I look around, turn the radio down

He says, 'baby, is something wrong?'

I say, 'nothing, I was just thinking

how we don't have a song?', and he said.."

"Hey girl, why can't you carry on?

Is it 'cause you're just like your mother?

Little tyke, like to tease for fun?

Well, you ain't gonna tease no other,

I'm gonna make you a lover.." while he was singing, Kurt got up from the sofa.

"Our song is the slamming screen door,

sneaking out late, tapping on your window.

When we're on the phone and you talk real slow

'cause it's late and your mama don't know! " sang Rachel, standing up as well.

"Everybody's gonna love today,

gonna love today, love today,

anyway you want to, anyway you've got

to love love me, love love me, love.." sang Kurt, dancing in the queerest way.

Rachel found it quite hard not to laugh, but she somehow managed to keep singing: "I was walking up the front porch steps,

after everything that day

had gone all wrong or been trampled on

and lost and thrown away.

Got to the hallway, well, on my way

to my loving bed, I almost didn't notice

all the roses and the note that said.."

"Girl in a groove with the big bust on,

wait till your mother and your papa's gone..

Shock shock me, shock shock me, shock.." Kurt started shaking his butt, and Rachel couldn't hold it anymore. She sat back on the sofa and rolled with laughter. Kurt smiled to her and asked: "What?"

"I'm sorry, but your dancing is the silliest thing I've ever seen.." explained Rachel recomposing herself.

"Is it?" Kurt shook his butt in front of her face and said: "Isn't this the reason why you love love me? Love love me.. love love me.." he hummed while Rachel started laughing again. Once he finished dancing and sat next to her on the sofa, she looked at him with a smile on her face and said:

"I know why you're doing this"

"You do?" he asked raising both his eyebrows.

"Yes" affirmed Rachel. "You are trying to make me feel better and forget about Finn.."

Kurt hesitated; she could have been about to burst into tears.. before he could say anything, Rachel spoke again: "It's working". A smile appeared on her face, and Kurt's heart raced. He was getting her to forget about Finn. This seemed, for some unknown reason, a very positive thing to Kurt.

"Come on" said Rachel, "let's try it again. But this time, don't dance."


	10. Someone being me

Weeks passed, and Rachel and Kurt had done so many mash ups that Mr Shuester couldn't have loved them more. Meanwhile the situation between Finn and her was fairly awkward; they didn't talk to each other, but they hadn't officially broken up (yet, would add Kurt), and things were stuck in oddness. Rachel didn't even seem to be depressed anymore, which was good for her but also for Kurt, 'cause it meant she was over Finn, possibly. One morning, Kurt woke up and got prepared to go to school, and when he went downstairs to have breakfast, he noticed that Finn wasn't there. It was impossible he had already gone to school.

"Where's Finn?" he asked Carol as she poured him some coffee.

"He doesn't feel well" she answered, looking apprehensive. "He's staying here today."

"I see.. I'm sorry. Should I go say hi to him before I leave?"

"Kurt, you're so sweet" said Carol with a smile. "Don't bother, honey, I'll tell him when he wakes up. Thanks"

"Ok, I'm leaving then" replied Kurt. "Bye, Carol, bye dad.."

"Bye, Kurt!" they replied at the same time. "Have a nice day" added Carol, as he left the house.

Once he got to school, he wondered whether or not Rachel should have known about that. Much to his surprise, she didn't show up that morning. He thought that was weird, but then he hypothesized that maybe she had a test and was in her class already. No problem, he would have met her in the canteen. When Kurt didn't see Rachel at lunch, he began to worry. He decided to text her: "Hey, princess, where are you?"

After a few minutes, she replied: "Hi, Kurt, I'm not hungry, I'm in class right now.."

He tried to remember her timetable.. Thursday, 5th hour.. English class. He didn't text her back, but he ran over to her English class. As he got in, he found her looking out of the window, absorbed in her thoughts.

"Princess" called Kurt. She jumped with surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with flat voice.

"I'm here for you. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing" Rachel shrugged. "I don't feel very well today.."

"I see" Kurt hesitated. It was too weird.. "You know, Finn's feeling bad as well." It was the wrongest thing he could have said. Her eyes filled with tears, as Rachel collapsed on the ground.

"What..!" Kurt quickly walked towards her. "Hey, hey, what happened?"

"I-I'm such a-an idiot.." sobbed Rachel, covering her eyes with her hands. "I c-completely screwed u-up"

Kurt put his arms around her. "What do you mean?" he asked, rubbing her back.

"I-I talked to F-Finn yesterday.." she replied, her tears wetting Kurt's jumper. "And I t-told him.. about.."

Kurt didn't want to get her in hurry, so he didn't say anything, and waited for her to speak again.

"I t-told him that I-I wanted to m-make him feel a-as bad as I f-felt" continued Rachel, sobbing harder. "And t-then I told him I-I kissed Puck, yesterday"

Kurt felt all the warmth in his body leave him. His arms, still surrounding Rachel, suddenly seemed heavier.

"Did.. did you really kiss Puck?" asked Kurt, swallowing. "Or you just lied to hurt Finn?"

He hoped she'd have replied no. He hoped she was so mean that she had made up a stupid lie to hurt Finn. But she didn't reply. She kept crying into his chest, and Kurt had to take it as no. He was caressing her with no sweetness at all, now. Like a mechanical movement, his hand rubbed her back, her hair, her shoulders.

When the bell rang, the two of them were still on the ground, the pain that kept them together worked as glue. Rachel had stopped crying, Kurt was like paralyzed. It was hard to define which one was more hurt.

Later on that day, the guys met up again in Glee Club. Rachel sat quietly on her chair, the further she could from Puck and Lauren. He was acting normally, it wasn't such a big deal for him cheating on his girlfriend. Even Kurt avoided sitting next to Rachel right now. He felt somehow betrayed as well; he and Rachel had been very friendly, lately, more than friendly.. if she'd had to cheat on her boyfriend, it should have been with Kurt, not dumb-crested-head-Puckerman. After realizing what he had just thought, Kurt massaged his temple, shaking his head. He was gay. Gay. He shouldn't have fantasized about making out with Rachel.

Mr Shuester had started talking something like 5 minutes before, and now he was looking at Kurt.

"So?" asked Will. "Did you guys prepare something for today?"

Kurt shook his head. The last thing he wanted to do was sing with Rachel, who had stood up and replied: "Yes, I have something, Mr Shue. It's another mash up.. I felt down and I wrote it yesterday"

"Very well, Rachel" said Mr Shuester, nodding. "I'm sorry you felt bad, but I'm glad you wrote something"

She smiled, joyless, and then gave Brian some sheet music. She stared at Kurt the whole time she sang:

"Comparisons are easily done  
>once you've had a taste of perfection.<p>

You're like an Indian Summer in the middle of winter,  
>like a hard candy with a surprise center.<br>How do I get better once I've had the best?

You said move on, where do I go?  
>I guess second best is all I will know..<br>'cause he knows I'm unfaithful,  
>and it kills him inside<br>to know that I am happy with some other guy.  
>I can see him dying,<br>I don't wanna do this anymore,  
>I don't wanna be the reason why<br>every time I walk out the door,  
>I see him die a little more inside.."<p>

Kurt couldn't believe his ears. She was talking about cheating! And apparently she was singing to him..

"He kissed my lips, I taste your mouth,  
>he pulled me in, I was disgusted with myself.." continued Rachel, peeking Puck, then looked back at Kurt.<p>

"Because when I'm with him I am thinking of you,

what would you do if

you were the one who was

spending the night?  
>I wish that I was looking into your blue eyes.."<p>

Wait, what? None of the two songs spoke about blue eyes. Kurt's heart began to beat harder.

"I don't wanna hurt him anymore,  
>I don't wanna take away his life,<br>I don't wanna be a murderer..  
>Our love, his trust..<br>I might as well take a gun  
>and put it to his head,<p>

get it over with..  
>I don't wanna do this anymore.<p>

So won't you walk through and  
>bust in the door and take me away?<br>No more mistakes,  
>'cause in your eyes I'd like to stay." When Rachel finished singing, tears were rolling down her face. Kurt was dazed. He had also checked out the color of Puck's eyes more than once. They were definitely not blue.<p>

"Good job, Rachel" said Mr Shuester, sweetly rubbing her arm. She looked really upset. "Take a sit, please."

Rachel sat back down, now avoiding Kurt's gaze. His rage was completely gone. He couldn't help but thinking that her song was dedicated to him. It was a lame thought, totally crazy and irrational.. but it was there. Into Kurt's head there was a storm going on:

"She said blue eyes" he thought. "Yes, but she kissed Puck, so it means that she doesn't like you.

Puck doesn't have blue eyes.

Puck isn't gay, and she knows it.

I'm not gay.

Yes, you are.

Ok, fine, I am. But I like her.

No, you don't. You just think you do because you two have a lot in common.

Isn't that a good thing for couples?

You two are not a couple.

We could make one.

No, you couldn't. That's crazy, forget it.

But she sang blue eyes!  
>It could be everyone". Kurt turned around and looked at his friends. Sam's eyes were more like.. light green.<p>

Brittany had blue eyes, but Kurt bet Rachel hadn't even notice that.. Artie. He had blue eyes too. Dammit.

"Don't be silly" Kurt told himself. "Why would she like Artie?

Well, why should she like you?

Because we spend a lot of time together. Plus, Artie has a girlfriend.

So what? She used to a boyfriend, and likes someone else.

Someone being me.

Someone being someone.

I'm someone.

No, you're no one.

No, I'm someone.

No, you're no one, you're gay.

Hey! That's really offensive!

I'm you, idiot" Kurt realized that if he hadn't talked to Rachel soon, he would have gone completely crazy.

That's why he waited for the lesson to end and then offered to give her a ride home.

"You're so nice to me, Kurt" whispered Rachel with a tiny smile. "I don't deserve people like you"

"Don't say that" replied Kurt shaking his hand. "You simply made a mistake, people do that all the time"

"It wasn't unintentional. I wanted to hurt Finn, I was mean, and selfish, and conceited.."

"You were impulsive" said Kurt, sighing. "If you had thought twice, you wouldn't have done it."

"But I haven't thought twice" Rachel's voice cracked. "I wanted my revenge. I was so mean.."

"Stop saying that" irrupted Kurt, tactless. "You weren't mean, or conceited, you just didn't love him enough"

Rachel looked at him with widened eyes.

"Yes" continued Kurt, "if you had truly loved him, you wouldn't have given a damn about that stupid lie. And if he had really loved you, he would have forgiven your mistake. But he didn't. So get over it."

"There's no need to be that rude" murmured Rachel, wrinkling her nose.

"I thought you said I was sweet"

"That too"

"Fine" said Kurt, shrugging. "Come on, get into my car. It's cold out here."

Rachel huffed, and then obeyed. As he started driving, she began to hum her mash up of Unfaithful and Thinking of you, reminding Kurt that he still had to ask her something.

"I really liked that mash up of yours" he commented. "It's nice. Sad, though"

"Thanks" replied Rachel, looking out of the window. "As you know, I wasn't in a good mood"

"I did notice, yeah. Can I ask you something?"

"Uhm, I guess, yeah.." Rachel hesitated. He had understood she had sung it for him. Her heart raced.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I heard you sing 'I wish I was looking into your blue eyes', today"

"Yes, you're right"

"Ok" Kurt tried his best not to simper. "You see, Rach, I don't remember Rihanna singing about blue eyes.."

"You're right, she doesn't" affirmed Rachel, getting more and more uncomfortable.

"And Katy Perry doesn't either, does she?"

"Nope."

Kurt wrinkled his nose, holding back a grin. She'd added the blue eyes detail, she'd just admitted it herself!

"It's interesting" he said, "that you wanted to specify the color of the guy's eyes.."

"Well, after our mash up of Brown eyes and Blue eyes, I thought it'd have sounded cute" Rachel shrugged.

"Indeed. But Puck doesn't have blue eyes"

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Rachel, angrily. "Puck has nothing to do with my song!"

"Really? Isn't it about you cheating on Finn?" Kurt's words were a little too sharp. Who was conceited, now?

"Well, yes" answered Rachel. "But I hate Puck."

"Wow, I wonder what you'd have done if you actually liked him.."

"Kurt!" Rachel was indignant. "This is really none of your business!"

"Well, it was when you came crying on my shoulder!"

"I didn't go anywhere, you came to me!"

"Fine!" he yelled, furious. "You know what? Next time I'll mind my own business! No, even better, I'll call Puck and tell him to go cheer you up, so you'll both 'hate' each other a little more!"

"Shut up!" Rachel was enraged. "I don't care about Puck, I don't care about anyone but Finn!"

"Yeah, keep saying that to yourself"

Rachel was speechless. "What.. what.. what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not in love with Finn" said Kurt. "Look, I don't know if you sang about Puck, or Artie.."

"Artie?" asked Rachel, sincerely confused.

"..or Sam, or whatever." continued Kurt, ignoring her. "All I know is that 'when you are with Finn, you're thinking of me', so stop repeating you love him like a broken record, it's stupid.."

"Excuse me?" Rachel's expression was both amused and scared. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. You sang 'when I'm with him I'm thinking of you'.. I'm not dumb Rachel, it was pretty obvious that you meant to say that when you are with Finn, you think of Puck, or whoever 'him' stands for"

"No.." murmured Rachel. "You didn't say that. You said 'me', you clearly said 'you're thinking of me'..!"

Kurt blushed. "No, I didn't" he replied.

"Yes you did!" insisted Rachel, grinning.

"Whatever!" yelled Kurt, glad to see they were close to her place. "I meant 'him', ok? I was mistaken"

Rachel crossed her arms, huffing.

"You act like a baby" said Kurt, trying to change the subject.

"Isn't that the reason why you love, love me?" hummed Rachel, jokingly. "Love, love me.."

Kurt laughed, as he stopped the car in front of Rachel's house. "Here we are, princess"

"Thanks for the ride.. again. I'll buy you a oil tank for Christmas"

"How about some fodder for the white horses of this beautiful carriage, milady?" joked Kurt.

"That will do" she replied, smiling. "Bye, Kurt."

"See you tomorrow, princess"


	11. King Quear

So, now we've cleared up that Rachel's very impulsive. But Kurt wasn't at all. He used to plan things over and over again, until they verged on perfection. His problem now was: how was he going to tell Rachel that he liked her? Because there was no doubt about that. He did like her. He wasn't quite enthusiastic about liking a girl, since his sexuality was the only thing he was sure of, but he could deny he had feelings for her.

So he started thinking about the things Rachel Berry liked the most: herself, compliments and music.

Since he had already filled her with compliments, he decided to write a mash up for her, like she had done for him (even if she wouldn't admit it). Kurt stayed up all night, trying to mix together two perfect songs for her..

and the following day, after school, he walked to the Glee Club room, ready to sing. He would have asked Mr Shuester for permission to sing first, and he wouldn't have taken a no for an answer.

"Mr Shue, if I may?" he said, his hand raised. "I've got something to say, and I wrote a mash up about it"

"Good, Kurt" Will was happy that his kids had been writing a lot of songs, lately, and he couldn't refuse.

Kurt stood up and faced his friends. Finn sat next to Santana, frowning. Rachel was sitting at the first row, and was looking at Kurt with a curios expression. He asked Sam to play the guitar for him, handed him some sheet music, and then he began to sing:

"My best friends hot,  
>my best friends hot,<br>no matter what I do won't love me..." sang Kurt, closing his eyes as his cheeks reddened.  
>"Won't you apologize to me for being such a tease?<br>I'm not gonna tell you all the things I might like, but..

If you wanna know, here it goes,

I'm gonna tell you,

there's a part of me that shows  
>if we're close, it's gonna let you see everything..<br>but remember that you asked for it!" As he was singing, Kurt found it very stupid; first of all, Rachel had never asked him anything. Hoping he would have soon stopped blushing, he opened his eyes, and continued:  
>"I'm trying to do my best, to impress,<br>but it's easier to let you take a guess at the rest,  
>but you wanna hear the things in my brain..<br>and my heart, will you ask for it?" Kurt cursed himself for writing such a lame mash up. He even hated the Jonas Brothers now. He sadly noticed that Rachel was laughing at him.. well, not laughing, exactly. She was.. smiling, actually. Kurt calmed down a little bit, and sang:

"I'm gonna tell you that you're mean  
>'cause you don't show,<br>you interrupt another dream,  
>so out you go..<br>I'm not gonna tell you all the things I might like..

I think lyrics need to rhyme,  
>and you're not asking,<br>but I'm trying grow a mustache.." sang Kurt, smiling as Rachel put her hands on her mouth.

"I love the sound of violins,

and making someone smile..

and I love you when you say my name,

so hold my hand, put on a show..  
>I still don't think you understand..<p>

Well, you probably know more

than you ever wanted to,  
>so be careful when you ask next time.." There was some sort of sadness in those words that moved Rachel.<p>

"Should I tell you now?

For your perusing,  
>at times confusing,<br>hopefully amusing,

here, I'm confessing,

I'm in love with you!" Kurt was glad the song was over. It was stupid, badly mashed up, and had absolutely no sense. Mr Shuester was kind of perplexed. "Well.. well done, Kurt" he said, encouraging him.

Kurt sat down next to Rachel, his face was as red as a tomato. Rachel looked somehow pleased. In fact, she was sneering. Kurt sighed in relief: luckily, he was wearing a pink scarf that day, so if Rachel had asked him if his song was about her, at least he could have played the gay card. Thankfully, she never mentioned his ridiculous performance, and Kurt could consider himself safe. But also, he was despairingly trying to find a way to confess his feelings to Rachel. He had the terrible sensation that, if he hadn't done it soon, she would have got herself another boyfriend, maybe even Finn. She always complained about how unpopular she was, but she had made out with more guys than Kurt had. In fact, he had never kissed anyone before, except Brittany, but it hadn't meant anything to neither of them. It was the matter of time; Kurt had to act now.

On the other hand, Rachel was glad he had forgotten about her mash up; unlike Kurt's, it wasn't lame, actually it was really well done, but that's just because everything Rachel did, impulsively or not, turned out to be perfect. Anyway, she hadn't talked about the Introducing me / My best friend's hot mash up because she didn't want to remind him about hers, so both songs were set aside. Although, Rachel was again quite amused by Kurt's clumsiness, and she had wondered a couple of times whether or not his song was dedicated to her. It was hard to say; after all she had made it very clear, by adding 'blue' to the lyrics of her mash up, while he hadn't even bothered specifying if his 'hot best friend' was a girl or boy. And it was a massive detail, since Kurt was gay.

"He's gay." Rachel kept telling herself. "And I'm a fool. We' great friends, and I'm not going to ruin everything just for this silly crush. I have to move on. I already have with Finn, it turned out to be easy, so why should it be any different with Kurt? All I need is a plan B." And by 'plan B', she meant 'boyfriend'. But they didn't have much time to date, since Regionals were getting closer everyday.


	12. Bridges burnt down

"Has anyone ever literally died on stage?" asked Kurt, his body shaking, his eyes widened.

"Are you nervous?" Rachel was surprised to see him like that again, even if this time it was the Regionals, and they were in the backstage, waiting their turn to perform.

Kurt hesitated; he didn't want her to think he was a complete loser. "Please don't judge me" he said. "This is the first time I lead sing in front of a competition audience. I have this nightmare that I'm going to forget the lyrics or I'm going to sing and nothing is going to come out.."

Rachel looked at him, amused, shaking her head.

Kurt smiled and added: "Okay, you can judge me."

It was the first time that Rachel didn't sing with Finn. She turned around and saw him talking to Santana. She sighed, looked back at Kurt and said: "I think that you're adorable"

He smiled, while his heart raced more then it already had.

"I don't know if anyone has ever died on stage" continued Rachel with a grin, "but the only people that are going to be dying tonight are the people in that audience, because you and I are going to kill this thing. Ok?"

Kurt nodded. Rachel smiled to him and then hugged him. His body suddenly became light as a feather. "Come on, let's go!" exclaimed Rachel, taking his hand and walking on the stage, as a voice from the microphone called the name of the New Directions. The red curtains were raised up, and the music started.

"I remember what you wore on the first day,  
>you came into my life and I thought<br>'hey, you know, this could be something'.." sang Kurt with a deep voice, managing not to tremble.  
>"Because everything you do and words you say,<br>you know that it all takes my breath away,  
>and now I'm left with nothing.." He quietly swallowed, gazing at Rachel, who walked toward him and grabbed his hand. They both faced the public and sang together in perfect harmony:<br>"So maybe it's true that I can't live without you,  
>and maybe two is better than one..<br>There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life  
>and you've already got me coming undone..<br>and I'm thinking two is better than one" Rachel let go of Kurt's hand, turned around and walked towards the other guys, and he did the same with the other girls. Rachel was dancing with Puck, then Sam, then Finn.  
>"I remember every look upon your face" she sang, avoiding his eyes.<br>"The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste" sang Kurt, surrounded by Quinn, Brittany and Santana.  
>"You make it hard for breathing" they sang again together, looking at each other from the opposite sides of the stage. Rachel twirled around Finn, then walked back to Kurt, singing:<br>"Because when I close my eyes and drift away,  
>I think of you and everything's okay,<br>and I'm finally now believing that.."  
>Kurt let the girls slowly shake their bodies around him, before approaching Rachel and singing with her:<br>"Maybe it's true that I can't live without you,  
>and maybe two is better than one..<br>But there's so much time

to figure out the rest of my life,  
>and you've already got me coming undone..<br>and I'm thinking two is better than one" after one last look, Kurt and Rachel parted again. She walked back to Finn, Puck, Sam, Artie and Mike, while Kurt walked towards the audience, followed by Mercedes, Quinn, Tina, Santana, Lauren and Brittany. He looked at Mercedes and smiled, as he sang:  
>"I remember what you wore on the first day,<br>you came into my life and I thought, 'hey'.."  
>Rachel, completely unhappy about the choreography Mr Shuester had created, rudely grabbed Finn's hands and started singing along with him:<p>

"Maybe it's true that I can't live without you,  
>and maybe two is better than one"<p>

On the left side of the stage, Mercedes and Kurt sand: "But there's so much time

to figure out the rest of my life,  
>and you've already got me coming undone.."<br>Quinn and Santana approached Puck and Sam, saning: "And I'm thinking two.."  
>"I can't live without you!" screamed Mercedes, Mike break-dancing around her. The audience was dazed.<br>"Baby, two is better than one" sang Brittany, wheeling Artie around.  
>"But there's so much time<br>to figure out the rest of my life" sang Lauren and Tina, walking back. Everyone followed them, except Kurt and Rachel. She had finally let go Finn's hands, and was walking towards the audience again, singing:  
>"But I'll figure it out when all is said and done.."<br>"Two is better than one.." sang Kurt approaching her from the back, and taking her hand. She didn't turn around, she kept looking at the public, as they both finished the song together: "Two is better than one."

Once it was all over, the audience started clapping; the performance had been great. Kurt and Rachel smiled, then she spoke into her microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are the New Directions!"

Another song began to play; Kurt and Rachel walked back, while he grabbed his microphone and sang:

"Now as the summer fades, I let you slip away,  
>you say I'm not your type, but I can make you sway.<br>It makes you burn to learn you're not the only one..  
>I'd let you be if you put down your blazing gun!"<p>

Rachel stood on the left side of the stage, Quinn and Brittany dancing around her while she sang:

"Now you've gone somewhere else, far away  
>I don't know if I will find you.."<p>

Finn and Puck approached her echoing: "Find you, find you.."  
>"But you feel my breath on your neck,<br>can't believe I'm right behind you.." added Rachel, trying her best not to look at Finn. Kurt noticed how he was actually breathing on her neck, so he ran towards her and they sang together:

"Because you keep me coming back for more,  
>and I feel a little better than I did before.<br>If I never see your face again, I don't mind  
>'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight.." Kurt's move hadn't worked as he had thought it'd. Rachel was supposed to be holding his hand and ignore Finn. Instead, she was singing gazing at him:<p>

"Sometimes you move so well  
>it's hard not to give in"<p>

Kurt frowned, then got closer to his microphone, but Finn was quicker:

"I'm lost, I can't tell  
>where you end and I begin"<p>

"It makes you burn to learn  
>I'm with another man" sang Rachel. Much to Kurt's dismay, she wasn't mad at Finn for stealing his part. She was smiling. Kurt couldn't believe his eyes. He meddled between her and Finn and sang:<p>

"I wonder if he's half  
>the lover that I am"<br>Rachel danced around him. This time, Finn frowned, and he started singing Kurt's line again:

"Now you've gone somewhere else, far away  
>I don't know if I will find you"<p>

Kurt snorted, surrounded Rachel's hips with his arms and sand:

"But you feel my breath on your neck,  
>can't believe I'm right behind you.."<p>

Rachel kept dancing, shaking her body against Kurt's, who grinned at Finn. The three of them sang together:

"Be you keep me coming back for more,  
>and I feel a little better than I did before.<br>If I never see your face again I don't mind  
>'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight.."<p>

Sam walked towards the audience holding Quinn's hands, and sang to her: "Baby, baby, please believe me,  
>find it in your heart to reach me,<br>promise not to leave me behind.."

Quinn smiled at him and replied: "Take me down but take it easy,  
>make me think but don't deceive me,<br>talk to me bout taking your time"

Mercedes's turn to sing again the highest note: "Talk to me, oh, talk to me!"

Rachel twirled around Finn, singing: "Because you keep me coming back for more,  
>and I feel a little better than I did before.."<p>

Kurt put his hand left on her shoulder, getting her to turn around, and they sang together:

"If I never see your face again, I don't mind  
>'cause we've gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight"<p>

Santana, Brittany, Artie, Lauren, Puck, Sam, Quinn, Mercedes and Finn echoed Kurt and Rachel as they repeated the chorus: "Because you keep me coming back for more,  
>and I feel a little better than I did before.<br>If I never see your face again, I don't mind  
>'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight!"<p>

Once again the audience clapped. Kurt and Rachel, who were face-to-face, as the choreography commanded, held still for a few seconds. He was looking at her with a frown, and she was biting her lips.

Then, with one last look of complete disappointment, he left the stage, followed by everyone else. Rachel took a deep breath and then walked away as well. She knew she was in trouble.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Kurt was yelling at Finn. "You lost the audition, I am the lead singer!"

"It was just a couple of lines, it's no big deal" replied Fin, shrugging.

"It is a big deal, it was my big night!"

"Come on, Kurt, you sang two entire songs" irrupted Rachel, looking down, embarrassed, "who cares about two stupid and meaningless lines.."

"You shut up!" Kurt was furious. "You ruined the choreography, dancing around that idiot"

"The audience liked us, who cares about the choreography, they didn't even notice.."

"Well, Mr Shuester worked hard on that" said Kurt, crossing his arms, "I bet he did notice"

"In fact, I did." Will got into the room, but, unlike Kurt, he didn't seem angry. "You guys were amazing, really well done! I'm proud of you"

"Didn't you see what Finn and Rachel did to the choreography?" asked Kurt, astonished. "They ruined it!"

"Calm down, Kurt" said Mr Shuester, smiling, "it was no big deal. Of course they shouldn't have done it, but no one noticed, so it's alright. We just have to wait for the judges' response now."

"Fine" snorted Kurt, sitting on down an armchair.

Mr Shuester left the room. Everyone in there was busy doing something, even Rachel and Finn. They were set apart in the corner, speaking with very low voices. Kurt couldn't hear a thing, but he kept telling himself that he didn't care, sitting alone with no one to talk to. Not that he felt like talking to someone now. He still couldn't believe that Rachel could have such a thing to him, especially with Finn. He had lied to her, broken up with her, ignored her, and she had been sad and miserable for days. Kurt had always offered her a shoulder to cry on, and now she had let Finn interfere with their duet!

"Idiot" Kurt told himself. "You're nothing but an idiot." He felt tears come to his eyes, but he pulled them back.

Rachel kept peeking in his direction, barely listening to what Finn was telling her.

"So, here it is" said Finn, concluding what might have been a long conversation.

Rachel nodded, still looking at Kurt. Finn scowled. "Rachel?"

Rachel finally turned her head toward him and, for no reason, exclaimed: "Absolutely!"

Finn sighed and asked: "Did you even pay attention to what I've just said?"

"Uhm, sure" lied Rachel. Then she shook her head and admitted: "Well, actually no."

Finn seemed really pissed off. He glanced at Kurt for a moment, then said:

"I thought you wanted to be with me.. but I guess I've lost now, haven't I?"

"What?" asked Rachel, completely dazed. "No, I don't.. I don't know what you mean. Of course I want you!"

"Really? 'Cause you seemed distracted" pointed out Finn.

"No, I wasn't, I was just.."

"Staring at Kurt" completed Finn with a joyless smile. "You do that a lot.. I've noticed"

"That's ridiculous" whispered Rachel, blushing.

"No, it's true. You know, every time I don't catch you looking my way.. you're looking at him."

"We're just friends, Finn" insisted Rachel, stamping her foot on the ground.

"Whatever" he replied, coldly. "It's none of my business anymore.."  
>"Oh, and it's my fault?" yelled Rachel, now red with anger. "You can't play innocent with me, I was more hurt than you ever were! First you lied, then you wouldn't accept my apologies.. you know what, Kurt's right, you're not in love with me!"<p>

As he heard his name come out of her mouth, Kurt turned around. Now everyone was staring at Rachel.

"He said that, uh?" asked Finn with a grin. "Is that what you ladies talk about, at the hairdresser's?"

"It's not funny" replied Rachel. "And yes, he believes you don't love me enough, and so do I!"

"I-I don't love you enough?" stuttered Finn, astounded. "How's that so?"

"You broke up with me!" yelled Rachel, close to tears. "You said you'd have never broken up with me, and you have! And you ignored me, and pushed me away!"

"Right, you make friends with capital G gay here, let him touch you on the stage and I'm the one who's pushing you away!" Finn was getting as angry as Rachel. "Yeah, that's logic, why didn't I realize it before?"

"Maybe because it's logic!" replied Rachel, sarcastically. "Besides he didn't touch me.."

"Oh, that's right, you were the one shaking your body like a stripper.."

"Look, you can't tell me what to do anymore okay? Whether I wanna cloister myself or become a stripper for that matter it stopped being your business when you broke up with me!"

Finn hesitated, looking at Rachel, than Kurt, than Rachel again.

"You know what? I'm done with you" he said at last, leaving the room.

Rachel felt everyone's eyes on her. For the first time in her life she didn't want to be the center of attention.


	13. Plan B

He had finally done it. He had officially broken up with her, and this time Kurt was there to see it. But it wasn't like he had expected it. Something suddenly didn't feel right. The storm inside his mind had begun again:

"They broke up!" thought Kurt, in amazement. "Again!

It doesn't mean anything. She was dancing around him all along. It means she's still into him.

She danced around me too.

But she said she still loved Finn, the other day, in the car.

It was ages ago, she could have changed her mind.

She seems pretty upsets now that Finn broke up with her.

Even better, so I can go cheer her up.

Yes, you'd make a lovely plan B.." Kurt's thoughts were interrupted by Rachel. She was slowly walking towards him, her eyes were red and her tears were rolling down her face, but she was smiling. It wasn't a joyful smile, though. It was tiny and sort of forced, but it was Rachel's and to Kurt it was painfully beautiful.

"Hey" she said, sitting in front of him.

"Hey" he repeated in a flat voice. "Are you ok?"

"Actually, yes" answered Rachel, drying her tears. "Because now I know it's really over between me and Finn"

"Wasn't it quite obvious?" asked Kurt, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you guys didn't even talk to each other.."

"Yes, we were, but I hoped to get back with him everyday.."

Kurt felt a sharp pain in his chest. "I see" he murmured. "I'm.. uhm, really sorry"

"Don't be" hissed Rachel with a bigger and more forced smile on her face. "I don't care for him anymore"

"You don't?" Kurt's heart raced so fast he could almost hear with his ears.

"No" affirmed Rachel. "I hoped to get back with him.. so I wouldn't wanna be with someone else"

"Why?"

"Because it could be more hurtful and disappointing"

"You don't know that" whispered Kurt. "And you never will if you don't give it a try.."

"I wish I could.." said Rachel, sighing. "But, you see.."

"Yes?" Kurt was impatient. If she hadn't said it any sooner, his heart would have completely drilled his chest.

"I wish I wasn't feeling like this, but.." Rachel hesitated. "You can't choose who you like. And I like you"

Kurt's mouth opened in the shape of a small 'o', while his heart opened in the shape of the Grand Canyon.

He suddenly felt light and happy, as if nothing could ever be bad, because nothing else really mattered, since Rachel had said she liked him. Yes, it was real. Rachel Berry liked Kurt Hummel.

"Well, won't you say anything?" her voice brought him back to reality.

"Won't I, won't.." mumbled Kurt. Dammit. He really was clueless. "Of course I will!" he added idiotically.

"Well, say it.." said Rachel, both amused and worried.

"Maybe.. you need sometime to think about it" while he was saying it, he couldn't believe his ears.

"Think.. about..?" Rachel was confused. "I don't need time, I know what I want"

"Yeah, you always do" replied Kurt, a bit rudely. "You always want too much.."

"That's true, but what does it have to do with the fact that I like you?"

She had repeated it. Kurt's ears liked how it sounded. Although, his mouth kept saying silly things, such as:

"Well, first you wanted Finn, the popular handsome quarterback, now you claim to a gay guy.. maybe it's just a challenge for you. A game to see how far Rachel Berry can get." Dammit! What was wrong with him?

Rachel was offended by those words. "I don't understand" she whispered, confused. "I thought you liked me"

"I d.. I do" stuttered Kurt, surprising even himself. He had finally admitted it out loud!

"I thought that.. with that mash up you were.." continued Rachel, more tears coming to her eyes, "I though you had written it for me!"

"I had!"

"And when you hit Finn, I didn't get mad at you.. I thought you had understood I liked you!"

"I wasn't sure.."

"But you are now!"

"But I.." Kurt didn't know what to say. Even now, everything was very confused.

"You said you liked me!" cried Rachel. "You just.. you've just said that, like two seconds ago!"

"I know, I know!" exclaimed Kurt. "I was.. please, stop crying.."

"It's just that I can't see what the problem is" Rachel's voice cracked. "I like you, you like me.. what's wrong?"

Kurt took a big breath and cursed him self as he answered: "You and Finn have just broken up. This.. this is wrong, Rachel. You're fragile and vulnerable, and you don't want to be alone.. you just think you like me"

"This is crazy, Kurt!" said Rachel, putting a hand on her forehead. "If that's your problem, you'd.."

"I don't wanna be your damn plan B!" yelled Kurt, interrupting her. "I like you but I'm no one's second choice"

Rachel couldn't believe that it was really happening. He was breaking up with her even before they had got together. She shook her head in astonishment. He sighed and whispered: "I'm sorry."


	14. On the line

Winning Regionals wasn't the great sensation Rachel had expected, after all. It was just another trophy on a shelf. What she had lost worthed much more. Finn had made her look like a slut in front of everyone, and she had made a fool of herself by telling Kurt she liked her. The craziest thing is that he liked her too, and Rachel hadn't quite understood yet where she had gone wrong. At first she considered the option that Kurt had simply found a lame excuse not to hurt her, and he didn't really like her because he was gay. But the way he looked at her, the way he smiled at her, even the way he talked to her, with his sweet voice.. it had to mean something. Plus, it came to Rachel's mind one night, when she was home alone, Kurt was always trying to make fun of Finn, like when he didn't know the meaning of 'vegan'. She shook her head; how could she had possibly dated a boy who didn't even remember she didn't eat meat and animal products?

"Idiot" Rachel told herself. "You're an idiot, and now Kurt knows too."

She had to do something about that. Rachel Berry never lost. She painfully remembered when she had said the same thing to Kurt, before their Brown eyes / Blue eyes performance. After a moment of hesitation, she grabbed her phone and dialed his number. She'd begun to realize how foolish she's, when Kurt answered:

"Hello?" his voice was sweet as always, and he didn't sound pissed. Rachel sighed in relief.

"Hi, Kurt. It's.. it's me, Rachel. Can we talk?"

"Hey, princess"

"Princess. He called me princess" thought Rachel, her heart melted within her bosom.

"Of course I can talk" continued Kurt. "Actually, I wanted to call you.."

"You did? Why? What did you wanna tell me?"

"You called me, so you speak first" said Kurt, smiling, even if Rachel couldn't see it.

"Fine.." she hesitated. What did she want to tell him, really? "I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for.. uhm.. for being importunate and intrusive.. I know I kind of freaked out the other day. I'm really sorry"

"It's ok, princess" replied Kurt, "I completely understand why you did that. I was.. stupid. I panicked and made a list of lame excuses to push you away. I don't know what scared me.. I guess it all happened too fast"

Rachel couldn't disagree more; too fast? She had been waiting for him to tell her he liked her for weeks, months, maybe! But she obviously couldn't say so to him, could she?

"I suppose you're right" whispered Rachel, biting her lips. "I mean, I had just had a fight with Finn in front of you.. well, you and everyone else from Glee. I bet it wasn't nice, was it?"

"Not really" agreed Kurt. "I can't believe he yelled at you like that.."

"Yeah, it was.. unpleasant" Rachel's voice cracked. She didn't want to hang up, but she didn't even want to talk about Finn. She wanted him to drive over to her place and tell her that he had changed his mind about giving her time and that he wanted her to be his forever.. but she couldn't find the words to say it.

"Well, I'm going to bed now" she said, faking a yawn. "I'm very tired. I'll see you tomorrow"

"Sure" replied Kurt with the sweetest voice, "goodnight, princess. Sleep well"

"You too. Goodnight." As he hanged up, she buried her face into the pillow and began to cry. It wasn't a goodnight. The next day she woke up with a terrible headache. She got ready for school and asked one of her dads to give her a ride. Once she was there, she walked to her locker, wanting to avoid Kurt more then anything else. She had made a total idiot of herself one more time, and she needed a friend to talk to, but the only friend she had was him, sadly. Knowing that she couldn't have held it any longer, and it wasn't healthy anyway, she decided to fix it the best way Rachel Berry knew: singing about it. So she had a regular day, somehow managing to avoid Kurt, then she went back home and started working on a song. Two days later she met the other guys in Glee, and after Mr Shuester had congratulated with them and showed them their trophy one more time, Rachel stood up and said:

"I know we've just won Regionals and we should be happy and stuff.. but I don't want to rest on my laurels, so I've prepared another number to perform, Hopelessly devoted to you, from the musical Grease"

"You know we love your motivation, Rachel" replied Will with a smile. "We wouldn't have won anything without your passion and talent, so, please.. feel free to sing whatever you want. We're all ears"

Rachel already had tears in her eyes because of those words. She gave Brian the sheet music and sang:

"Guess mine is not the first heart broken,

my eyes are not the first to cry.

I'm not the first to know

there's just no getting over you.." she tried to avoid Kurt's stare but it was painfully hard.

"You know I'm just a fool who's willing

to sit around and wait for you,

but, baby, can't you see

there's nothing else for me to do?

I'm hopelessly devoted to you.."

Kurt had understood she was singing to him right away, and he felt incredibly guilty for hurting her so much.

"But now there's nowhere to hide,

since you pushed my love aside

I'm out of my head,

hopelessly devoted to you.." Tears were rolling down Rachel's face. "I'm hopelessly devoted to you.."

Kurt wanted to ran towards her, hold her tight and never let her go, but he was enchanted by her voice.

"My head is saying 'fool, forget him',

my heart is saying 'don't let go,

hold on to the end',

and that's what I intend to do.."

"Yes!" thought Kurt, excited. "Hold on just a little bit longer.. till the end of the song.."

"I'm hopelessly devoted to you.." continued Rachel, "but now there's nowhere to hide,

since you pushed my love aside,

I'm out of my head,

hopelessly devoted to you..

I'm hopelessly devoted to you..

hopelessly devoted to you" as Rachel finished sining, Mr Shuester began to clap. "Well done, Rachel" he said, amazed. "The song was beautiful, and you seemed really involved.." "I was" whispered Rachel. And with one last look at Kurt, she quickly walked out the room.


	15. Buongiorno, principessa!

He didn't even have the time to tell her how amazing she had been and how much he had liked her song. Kurt realized what a jerk he had been to her, but now he couldn't find anymore lame excuses.. he needed to fix this. He stayed up all night to prepare a song for her. He didn't even care if they wouldn't have had Glee the next morning. He had kept her waiting long enough, and she deserved a proper apology, not just some flowers and chocolates, like in one of those old movies. "She's Rachel Berry, for crying out loud" thought Kurt. The following day he got to school early and waited for her to arrive. He was shaking for excitement. When he saw her, his heart began to race, but he kept telling himself: "First, apologize to Rachel, then you can die." He walked towards her and exclaimed: "Hey, princess!" She seemed scared. "Hi Kurt" she murmured. "I'm late for class.."

"No, you're not. It's only 7:40" replied Kurt, smiling. "Listen, I wanted to tell you that I was a total idiot, and I want to apologize to you. That song, yesterday, was really.. you moved me, Rach. And I have to pay you back"

"You don't owe me anything, Kurt" said Rachel, coldly. "I've heard what you have to say, so go away now.."

"You haven't heard anything yet" insisted Kurt. "I've prepared a song too"

"But we haven't Glee Club today" huffed Rachel. "We can't use the music room.."

"You are music, Rachel. Wherever you are, music is with you. So please, just listen..", and without any instrumental base, he began to sing a capella: "You left me hanging from a thread,

we once swung from together,  
>I lick my wounds but I can't ever see them getting better.." Rachel seemed really pissed. She turned around and walked through the school doors, but he followed her:<br>"Something's gotta change,  
>things cannot stay the same.." Rachel looked around, embarrassed, covering her face with her hands.<br>"Her hands are pressed against her face,  
>her eyes are red with anger" continued Kurt, amused, changing the lyrics.<br>"Enraged by things unsaid,  
>and empty beds and bad behavior.<br>Some thing's gotta change,  
>it must be rearranged.." Rachel huffed and took one step back, but he kept singing, imperturbable. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to hurt my little girl..<br>it's beyond me,  
>I cannot carry the weight of the heavy world.." Rachel tried to look away, hiding the smile that was breaking out across her face; but Kurt noticed, and his heart raced. Then he kept singing:<br>"So goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight..  
>I hope that things work out all right.." he grabbed her hands and got closer to her. She was finally looking at him, without trying to hide her smile, or her tears, which had started rolling down her face.<br>"I'm so sorry" hummed Kurt, "I did not mean to hurt my little girl.."

"Oh, stop.." whispered Rachel, giggling.

"It's beyond me, I cannot carry the weight of a heavy world.."

"Kurt, please, everyone's looking at us.."

"So goodnight, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.." continued Kurt, his blue eyes gazing at hers. "Goodnight, princess." Rachel hesitated, looking at him with an expression of objurgation, then said: "It's morning, you idiot."

He smiled at her like he never had before, and before she could add anything, he kissed her on the lips.

After what seemed like an age, they broke apart. Rachel was astonished. Kurt caressed her cheek with his hand, drying her tears away. Even with those red eyes, she looked beautiful. He would have jumped for joy, indifferent to the fact that everyone was staring at them. All he cared about was her now, and he held still, waiting for her to say something, hug him, even slap him.. any reaction would have been better than silence. Then, here it was.. Rachel's mouth opened into a smile, and one second later her lips were newly pressed against his. Kurt's heart was pounding like a crazy clock.


	16. Thank you!

Hello everyone!

I wanted to thank you all for the sweet supportive comments you sent :) I really don't know how to reply because i'm not practical with this site, it's new to me, so I hope you read here and see how greatful I am :)

I aslo apologize for the mistakes I made, but I'm not English, so this was a challenge for me to write 15 chapters! I had fun, though. I really am a Hummelberry supporter, but I didn't want to change the personalities of the characters, so I tried to keep it real. Someone told me that I wasn't really good at keeping it real, and that I changed too many things.. I'm sorry about that, I really can't see it, even by reading it again.. I totally see Kurt and Rachel acting like that, and, no, I didn't want to make Finn look like the bad guy. In fact, I didn't at all! He was a very nice boyfriend at the beginning, and all the Santana thing wasn't my idea. As you all remember, it happened in the first season. I actually used the same quotes from the show, at some point (when Santana told Rachel about her and Finn, and when Kurt was anxious about performing and Rachel comforted him - I completely ignored Blaine, sorry Klainers!), anyway, Finn is a lovely character, I do like him, so I would never think about him as the bad guy. Actually, it was Rachel who fell for someone else while she was his girlfriend, and sort of used the Santana thing as an excuse, so she's the one who had a bad behaviour.

I think it's all I have to say, so.. thanks again for the nice comments, I really, really appreciated them :) To all who asked me to write something else: I do hope to write more, especially about Hummelberry, which is my favourite pairing! But if you have any request, just ask me :)

I also have a channel on youtube (my account is onypotter) and I make lots of videos about hummelberry.. I dare say I'm actually better at making videos than writing fanfictions, since I've been making them for almost 4 years, so you can check them out if you are hummelberry supporters.. I started making those videos because I couldn't find any fanvid of this couple, so I would know the feeling of emptyness.. I mean, Kurt and Rachel are meant to be, they don't get enough credit! I mean, not in the show, they can't change Kurt-being-gay-thing, but on this site I hope to read something exciting about them.. and I have! I suggest you the fanfictions "Somewhere", "The good life isn't so good" and "Oblivious".. I've tried to comment on those and tell the authors to write more because I'm a huge fan of their fictions, but I'm such a dumb I'm not sure the message arrived to them! :)

Bye bye, everyone, have a good reading!


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